The Demonbound Sheikah
by fleets
Summary: Hyrule manages to defeat Vaati, but rather than ending the sorcerer's life, they decide to use him as a weapon against the remaining evil by rewriting his memories for their own purposes. Vaati no longer remembers who he had once been, and believes he is a loyal servant of the royal family. Vaati's old servants, however, aren't so quick to forget his past and seek him out...
1. The New Apprentice

fleets: ...ok so for those of you who've seen my huge goodbye letter saying I was officially retiring from writing fanfics...

I'M SO SORRY I LIED. Unintentional, since I had been happily convinced that I was done and I was going to move on to other more lucrative hobbies.

Ugh. Seriously UGH. I told myself I would never get into this again, and look what happened. I'm not going to make any promises about being able to finish this story (even though my prior record of completion is at 100%), this just might be the story that breaks that record. I don't know if I can finish this, but I liked the idea enough to write a first chapter for it.

I'm going back to my roots and sticking with an Adventure story. While I did enjoy writing romance with WIR and FaV, I guess I couldn't help but go back to the Rend-esque Adventure style of plot progression.

So uh, thank you so much for your understanding, and I guess _I'm baaaaack!_

* * *

 **Chapter 1: The New Apprentice**

" _Are you certain this will work?"_

" _Doubting our magic, Princess Zelda? Oh, the Hylians love to insult us so, don't they Koume?"_

" _Eeh hee hee hee! Well if this doesn't work then you spritely youngsters can hit him over the head again, isn't that right, Kotake?"_

" _Twinrova, please, Vaati is an extremely dangerous individual. We're risking everything by agreeing to let you do this."_

" _Shame on you, Sheikah guardian, placing the blame on our heads. We suggested this ritual, yes, but you Hylians were quick to follow with our plans. Do not make it sound like this was entirely our mischief. You need the sorcerer to be loyal to you, and we know how to do so."_

" _But… but what if he remembers who he was? Can we really trust that… by replacing his memories with new ones, ones that suggest that he is loyal to us, he really will be trustworthy?"_

" _Princess, memories are what **defines** us. The power is now in your hands to mold this sorcerer into anything you'd like, eeh hee hee!"_

"… _Alright. Impa, please make sure that word of this never reaches anyone. Not even to Link."_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was a week since the decisive battle that had finally led to Vaati's defeat. She should have been sleeping soundly for the first time in months like the rest of the kingdom, but Zelda hadn't been able to sleep well last night. She'd been staring up at the beige canvas of her tent, not being able to close her eyes as she lay on the grass knit bedding. It wasn't the desert chill that bothered her, or the knowledge that she was sleeping amongst the intimidating Gerudo warriors, far away from the comfort of her own home. It wasn't even the occasional howling of the sand worms that shrieked in the night as they leapt out of the sands in the distance. No, what tormented her was the memory of what they had done last night, and of the individual who slept quietly only a few tents away from hers.

Zelda's lips curled ever so slightly into a frown. _Vaati_.

Vaati, the infamous Sorcerer of Winds, was currently sleeping peacefully in the same village she was staying in. All that was keeping him somewhat restrained was a single set of chains around his ankles and wrists, but it was more like a formality since everyone knew that, if he were to use his full power, no amount of chains would be able to hold him. Even though they had emptied the village while they housed the former villain, it didn't make Zelda feel any better about the damage he could potentially do.

The Gerudo witches, Twinrova, had assured her that when he woke up, he would no longer be the Sorcerer of Winds. She hoped they were right, and shuddered at the thought of what would happen if they were wrong.

She remembered the smell of fire and and the sting of sparking ember as villages burned from Vaati's destructive rampage. He, along with a legion of monsters, had devastated much of Hyrule for months as he went from village to village leaving only ruins in his wake. Link had suffered severe injuries trying to defeat Vaati, but had been foiled by an unknown creature who they only knew by name: Dethl. Eventually, it had taken the unification of the Gerudos, Gorons, and Hyrule to finally defeat Vaati. She did not want their efforts to have been in vain if Vaati woke again as he had been.

Zelda tried to close her eyes again in an attempt to finally go to sleep. She grumbled unhappily when she noticed a small crack of dark orange snuck in through the tent flaps. It was almost dawn, and she'd barely gotten any sleep at all. _One down,_ she whispered to herself, _one more to go. Then I can finally rest._

One more. While they had defeated Vaati, there was still one more creature of evil lurking about, waiting for its chance to retake the sorcerer's throne. It was the one that had defeated Link, the one named Dethl.

And to do that, they were going to use Vaati.

 _What an awful plan_. _But if it works then…_

"Zelda."

The princess's eyes blinked open again, and she quickly jolted upright to face the direction of the voice. To an untrained eye, it would have been nearly impossible to see Impa in the faint light of dawn. The Sheikah warrior blended almost seamlessly into the shadows, even with her conspicuous white hair, but the princess knew where to look. "Impa," she replied back quietly so as not to alert anyone who may be eavesdropping. Her guardian's next words sent a chill down her neck, and she really wished she'd had better luck with sleeping last night.

"He's waking. Your decoy is getting ready at the moment, so if anything goes wrong…"

Zelda recovered from her initial hesitation. "I understand, Impa. As of this moment, I am no longer Hyrule's princess. I am Sheik." Her eyes adjusted, and she could now make out Impa's features. She noticed that the Sheikah's eyes were lowered as though ashamed. Seeing this, she stood up from her bed and walked over to where Impa was, taking her hand. "I know why I must do this, Impa, please do not be sorry for me. If Vaati betrays us, then the first person he will strike will be Hyrule's princess."

Impa sighed, and then gently hugged the brave princess. "I only wish there was a better way. To be so close to your enemy…" Impa trailed off.

Zelda laughed lightly, smiling brightly as though to take all of the burdens of the world on her shoulders. "Well you know what they say, right? Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer."

Zelda broke the embrace, regretfully then. It had been a farewell of sorts, because the next time they spoke, it wasn't going to be as Zelda. The princess took a deep breath, and absentmindedly brushed away the wrinkles of her nightgown. She began to chant an ancient spell that had been passed down through generations in the royal family, and her lids were finally tired and heavy. Just before her eyes closed, she saw Impa watching her sadly.

The next time the princess's eyes opened again, they were no longer the bright sky blue, but a piercing, determined red. Standing in place of the delicate princess was a young, male Sheikah warrior. His face was covered by a thick white cloth so that only his eyes were visible, and he was wearing a tight fitting blue outfit similar to Impa's. As Sheik, the princess's voice was slightly lower, completing her disguise. He nodded once towards Zelda's guardian. "Impa," he acknowledged.

"Hello Sheik," she replied.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A young man looking no older than eighteen groaned as he stirred from where he lay sleeping. His head hurt like it had been smashed under an Armos statue. Several times. Slowly, he tried to get up and he searched the floor with his hands, trying to steady himself. His arms were stringy and thin from lack of exercise, and he spent a few seconds brushing away his white-lavender colored hair away from his face.

"Ughhh… huh?" The youth noticed the sound of metal jangling as he moved his hands, and he winced at the sound as it made his headache worse. Starting to panic a little from all of the stimulation in the environment and the worsening headache, he threw himself to his feet in one swift moment and ran forward blindly.

" _Augh!"_

The youth was sent flying forward by the chains that bound his ankles, and he fell with a loud thump on the floor. Sand whipped up into his eyes, and he yowled in aggravation. It took him a few moments to notice that he wasn't alone, and that someone else was standing by what appeared to be the entrance of a tent.

Sheik watched in silence at the former sorcerer of winds looking up at him from the ground, his expression bewildered and his face full of sand. The warrior's face was expressionless, but his muscles were tense as though they were ready to strike at any indication of foul play.

"Oh uh, sorry I didn't know you were there," the youth said apologetically, wincing and rubbing the side of his head, still bothered by the headache. Once he stopped rubbing his head, he slowly, carefully looked around as though afraid to make the headache worse. He briefly looked surprised by what he was wearing, a baggy plain brown tunic, and then looked even more surprised by the chains around his wrists and ankles. "Why do I have chains around my wrists?" he asked with a frown.

Sheik continued to watch the youth for a few more seconds, and for a moment the confused young man thought that the Sheikah was just going to stand there and stare at him for the rest of the day. Eventually, Sheik walked over slowly and knelt beside him. "Do you remember anything?" he asked.

The youth looked into the warrior's eyes, red staring back into red. His eyes wavered under Sheik's gaze, his confusion mounting. "I… I can't. It's all very blurry and… and…" he stammered. His eyes shot back towards the chains on his wrists again, and his confusion was replaced with panic. "Oh Din, I didn't… I didn't do anything awful did I? Is that why I'm chained down like this?"

"Sh." Sheik put up a single finger to shush him. "Focus. Are you certain you don't remember anything at all?"

The young man quieted, and the panicked look in his eyes dissipated. Eventually, he slumped his shoulders and he sat on the ground, clutching his head again. When he finally spoke again, his voice contained some kind of excitement. Of life.

"My name," he whispered with a smile on his face. His past came flooding back as he clung to the memory of his name. He knew who he was, now. He knew who he was. "My name is Gufuu."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Gufuu?" Impa asked when she had reconvened with Sheik again. Sheik appeared unusually worn out from the conversation with Vaati, or rather, 'Gufuu.' Sheik noticed Impa looking at him worriedly, and he waved his hand, indicating there was no problem.

"It's fine, it went well. I just didn't get enough sleep is all," he said. "And yes, he says his name is Gufuu, or 'Fuu' for short. It's uh…" Sheik scratched his head, puzzled, "well let's just say that no one will guess who he really is by his new name."

"Huh. I'd suggested to Twinrova that they pick a common name like 'Geoffrey' and that didn't translate very well for his new memories," Impa said with an amused grin. Her grin didn't last long, however, and she went back to her concerned frown. "What about the rest of his memories?"

"It worked. He thinks he's a Sheikah warrior, sent here to train under you as an apprentice. He even looks like a Sheikah warrior, and the more he talked about it the more I almost believed it. Twinrova's magic is truly terrifying; I am glad they are on our side," Sheik said thoughtfully. He remembered when he saw Vaati for the first time this morning, and it had been difficult to tell that the young man in front of him had only days before been a murderous, powerful sorcerer.

"Well, yes, we were fortunate to have a story for him that fit him so perfectly," Impa agreed. "Saying he is a Sheikah allows us to keep a close eye on him, and his appearance naturally fits our tribe's, including those markings under his eyes." Impa snorted, "Though he does seem to be pathetic, physically, to be a true Sheikah."

Sheik shrugged, gazing back towards the tent where he'd just been moments before. Vaati, or rather, Fuu, had gone back to rest under his suggestion. Sheik still felt uncomfortable by the sorcerer's presence, but after speaking with him earlier, he was almost convinced that a Sheikah apprentice had replaced the former wind mage. "It was almost as though he was grasping at anything that remotely fit into his idea of what his past was like. It was kind of terrifying, in an exciting kind of way," Sheik mused. "He accepted almost everything I told him, like how he had helped us in a battle against the evil wind mage Vaati, and had suffered some mental trauma during the fight. When I explained that he had to be chained down because he almost attacked the healers in his delusion, he apologized sincerely and believed everything that happened. Vaati is gone, Impa. What remains is a completely malleable individual whose past is our own." Then, Sheik finished quietly, "What remains is a weapon."

The two warriors watched the sun break over the dunes as they contemplated the trials ahead. As the darkness left them, Sheik was, for a rare moment, afraid. The bright, eager, and most jarringly _innocent_ look on Vaati's face had him contemplating whether or not they had done something terrible. In a sense, they were responsible for creating a new monster. For Fuu's sake, he hoped that he would never find out what they had done, and who he had once been.

 _Did we do the right thing?_

* * *

fleets: Well, that's that. I hope you liked this (unfortunately short) first chapter. Vaati's new name, Gufuu (Fuu), is based on his Japanese game name.

There's going to be a lot of Sheik in this story, and it'll be the first time I ever include him in a story (so I guess that's exciting?). I'll be referring to Sheik as a 'he,' but it'll be ambiguous (for now) whether you want to think of him as biologically male or female in disguise (I don't think it's really that important for the story, but I was reading some articles on Sheik and it looked super confusing?).

My hope with this story is that I get to use a larger cast of canon main characters than for Rend (which was mostly Vaati and Link). Well, it's 2:00am now, so thanks again, and I'm sorry I lied about retiring fanfiction writing (erk).


	2. Fuu

fleets: last night I made the terrible decision to write at 2 in the morning. This chapter is what was supposed to go with the first chapter, but because it was late at night and I wasn't making good decisions, it didn't get uploaded.

It was wonderful hearing from people so soon! Hello again everyone :) I missed you all!

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Fuu**

The rest of the morning had been a chaotic one for Sheik, and he wasn't able to catch up on as much sleep as he'd wanted. As soon as they'd heard the news about Fuu, the Gerudo witches, Koume and Kotake, had wanted to speak to Sheik about him. For the most part, it seemed like they had simply wanted to berate Sheik for not believing that their ritual would succeed (in that annoying, disapproving, crony way), and spent the better hour congratulating each other on how they were unequaled in witchcraft. Afterwards, he'd had to speak with Impa regarding their next plans, now that they were a little more convinced that Fuu wasn't an immediate threat.

Lunch hour came too soon, and Sheik found himself having to visit Fuu once again to make sure he would get lunch. Sheik found Fuu lying on the bedding where he'd left him earlier, but it seemed like he'd been awake for the past hour or so. Sheik was tense again, and to be honest it was hard not to be, even though Fuu was no longer Vaati. When he'd first stepped into the tent to see how the former sorcerer was doing, his breath had caught in his throat at the sight of the young man of pale complexion. Fuu's eyes had been open with a glint of resolve that was different than the confused, apologetic one that he had encountered earlier in the morning. Fuu's calculated, piercing gaze warmed when he noticed Sheik standing by the entrance again. "Sheik, right? My memory is still a little fuzzy," Fuu laughed, and Sheik was momentarily disturbed by how friendly the once-cold individual seemed to be. "So what's the news, can you take these off now?" he asked, holding up the chains that restricted him as he lay on the ground lazily.

"No," Sheik said, perhaps a little too quickly. He caught his mistake when Fuu's friendly, expectant smile dipped into a slight frown. It was a difficult balance to treat Fuu like an ally when he had been such a terrifying enemy not so long ago. That demented, vicious smile, and the chilling laugh of the sorcerer of winds was still etched Sheik's memory. The smell of fire, the smoke stinging his eyes, the screaming…

"It's ok, I know why I have to keep these on."

Fuu's voice brought Sheik back to the present time, though Sheik wasn't sure if he'd left one nightmare in the place of a new one. The other teen sat up, this time without any indication that his headache remained. "I would do the same to someone so unpredictable. You don't know if I would go out and suddenly start murdering everyone, right?"

 _This is Fuu, not Vaati. Fuu, not Vaati_ , Sheik repeated over and over in his head.

"What, you look like a poe possessed me or something," Fuu laughed nervously. "Did I say something wrong? That was supposed to be a joke." Fuu sighed. "Perhaps a joke in bad taste."

 _Calm down. Calm._ Sheik took a deep breath. Fuu was, of course, referring to Sheik's story earlier that he'd been restrained because he'd gone on a rampage from mental trauma; he wasn't referring to the fact that he was actually Vaati. Fuu didn't know that anymore. _I have to stop thinking of him as the wind mage._ Sheik wordlessly sat down next to Fuu and then passed the other boy a sandwich. They weren't going to have Fuu walking around the dining areas freely just yet.

"I was that bad, huh," Fuu continued as Sheik passed his lunch to him.

This question, Sheik could answer truthfully. "Yes." _Awful. Horrible. The villages reduced to burning rubble, the dead littering the fields and painting the grass red, the thundering sky… and in the middle of it all was a pale-skinned youth with the most chilling grin. 'Surrender, Princess,' he'd mouthed._

"I guess Vaati left me with a scar, huh. Well at least we got him good."

 _We sure did._ Sheik thought. He had half a mind to leave now that he'd done what he'd come here to do: give Fuu some food so he didn't starve. Still the other seemed to want to talk. From the occasional encounters he'd had with Vaati in the past, he vaguely recalled that the sorcerer had been extremely talkative. He just loved the sound of his own voice. _At least that trait didn't disappear when Vaati turned into Fuu,_ he thought grudgingly.

"What was the battle like?" he asked. Then, he asked somewhat sheepishly, "What were his last moments like?"

"Who?" Sheik asked, even though he knew the answer.

"Vaati. How did he die? You were there, weren't you?"

"Yes."

Fuu bit his sandwich uncomfortably from the somewhat awkward pause. "If you don't want to talk about it then-" he started, somewhat irritably, but was cut off by the Sheikah.

"No I… forgive me. I didn't know where to begin," Sheik said apologetically. _I don't know how to hold a conversation with you when I know who you once were._ For the first time, Fuu flashed a questioning look, as though suspicious of Sheik's guarded behavior since the moment they'd met, but said nothing. The shadow warrior looked lost in thought for a few seconds, and then began, "We were an army of about one thousand strong, Gerudos, Gorons, and Hylians together. It was to be the final battle to defeat Vaati. The princess had lured him into a trap: he hadn't expected Hyrule to have the assistance of the Gerudo witches, and he'd become arrogant after the hero had been injured. Our armies clashed, hundreds died. Our plan was to protect the princess until she could unleash the holy arrow, with Twinrova being key to combat Vaati's magic for just long enough." Sheik closed his eyes, reliving the battle. Fuu listened intently, respectfully keeping his mouth shut for once as he didn't want to miss a single word of the story. "The plan had worked." When Sheik opened his eyes again, he had a thoughtful, leery look. "It had worked almost _too_ well. Before the princess had done anything, Vaati had collapsed in the middle of battle. I'm not sure how many noticed in the chaos of battle, but I saw it. The sorcerer was in his demon form, a floating black eye with red pupils burning with hatred. He'd been about to attack the bulk of the army with something devastating, but just before he could do so, something had attacked him first. Perhaps I had imagined it, but I thought I saw a flicker of a shadow hover through the smoke, and strike at the demon like a snake. In that moment, Vaati faltered, and in his hesitation he was hit by the princess's arrow." Sheik glanced at Fuu briefly before looking away again. "Vaati will no longer terrorize us ever again."

"And what about me? You don't think the thing that attacked Vaati was me, do you?"

Sheik couldn't help but raise a skeptical eyebrow at Fuu's sudden, eager question. The teen was looking up at him with an inspired glimmer that was positively beaming. "I… don't remember where you were in that fight. You were protecting the princess," Sheik added somewhat sternly, "as all of us Sheikah are ordained to do."

"Well I'd like to think that I made the decisive blow against Vaati, the one that helped end the battle," Fuu grinned. He took a bite out of the sandwich, and then leaned back again, looking upwards with a wistful expression. "Heh, I defeated Vaati, the Sorcerer of Winds. I defeated the strongest sorcerer in the world." Fuu winked, "That means I'm the best."

"We don't _really_ know what it was that attacked Vaati and it is highly unlikely that it was you," Sheik said, his composure breaking somewhat as exasperation crept in.

"How do you know?"

"I just do," Sheik snapped.

"Huh, so you do have emotions. For a second I was afraid you were an Armos statue."

And that was when Sheik lost his voice for a moment. He could feel his cheeks go red, and he was glad that half of his face was covered by a cloth, though Fuu's cheeky grin suggested that it still didn't hide his reddening ears. He opened his mouth to retort, but couldn't find anything to say to the youth who was chewing on the rest of his sandwich in a gloating sort of way. _This… this little BRAT is definitely not Vaati. Vaati was… Vaati was…_

What had Vaati really been like?

 _Not like this guy,_ Sheik thought to himself. As Sheik fumed in the corner, half in genuine annoyance and half in embarrassment, Fuu brushed the breadcrumbs off of his fingers and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm glad, really," he began, and Sheik was somewhat taken aback by the sincerity in the other's voice, "I feel like you were really angry at me since I first woke up, but you kept hiding it. That was the first time you showed annoyance," Fuu smiled, "the first time you were honest with me."

Sheik didn't know what to say, so he didn't say anything, shocked beyond words now. For a brief moment he felt the urge to apologize. It felt dirty, almost, to be thanked for honesty when Fuu's entire existence was one big lie. But he didn't apologize. He didn't owe Vaati of all people an apology for being dishonest. _Who is Vaati?_

 _Who is Fuu?_

"We'll come get you in a few hours," Sheik said curtly, standing up. It was obvious he wanted to leave the tent now, away from Fuu. "We'll be escorting the princess back to Hyrule Castle. We don't know how many monsters are wandering the roads right now, but we'll want to be leaving soon before it gets dark again."

Fuu scowled, and grumbled sarcastically, "Guess I'll just sit here with my chains again, then."

"I'll unchain you later." Sheik said as he left the tent, "You have my word."

Besides, they couldn't keep him locked up like that forever.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Later that day, they readied the caravans that would take them back to Hyrule. The decoy Princess Zelda was ushered into the center cart along with a few guards. Sheik and Impa were the only ones who were aware that this Zelda was not the real one, and the decoy played her part well. Impa took the caravan directly in front of the decoy's and Sheik accompanied Fuu in the one behind it. There weren't many people accompanying the caravan: there had only been a small group to make the trek to the Gerudo Valley after the battle, and the rest had left for Hyrule Castle proper earlier. This was fine, Sheik reassured Fuu, because without a leader the monsters had dispersed. Impa and Sheik, along with a few extra guards, were more than enough to handle anything they might encounter on the roads.

After unchaining him, Sheik had tossed Fuu a change of clothes. "It's my spare. Wear it for now," he'd said. The spare clothes fit Fuu almost perfectly, since he and Sheik were almost the same height, but there was some room around the shoulders and arms: Fuu did have gangly limbs. Fuu wondered briefly about where his own clothes had gone, but Sheik waved the question away as irrelevant.

Still, even though Fuu didn't quite have the physical build to pass as one of the shadow warriors, his appearance was extremely convincing. His eyes were red like Impa's, and his hair, which they'd tied back in a similar braded fashion as Sheik's, was naturally pale like Impa's. Once his face was covered by a cloth so that his occasionally confused expression was hidden, he looked exactly like what people expected a Sheikah to look like.

Sheik noticed that Fuu had an extremely sharp eye for noticing subtleties, and once again he surprised him by noting Sheik's usually unreadable expression. "You're impressed?" Fuu asked.

"It fits you well," Sheik agreed. "Surprisingly."

Fuu, appearing pleased, made his way to the caravan he was assigned to, but then suddenly stopped short, causing Sheik to nearly run into him. He took a step backwards again, and then pointed at the person getting on the cart in front of them. "Is that the princess?" he asked.

He was pointing towards the woman in a light pink dress who was being helped into the cart by Impa. She held up a gloved hand to her lips, laughing about something Impa had said. The decoy was doing an impeccable job playing her part: her bright smile to the small mannerisms like the way she absentmindedly brushed her hair when she laughed, everything was on point like how the real Princess Zelda would behave. Sheik tried not to look too envious and motioned for Fuu to hurry up into the caravan. "Yes that is her," he said, "and our duty is to do everything in our power to keep her from harm."

Fuu ignored Sheik for a few more seconds, watching the decoy until she disappeared into the caravan.

"You seem awfully fixated on the princess," Sheik noted, when Fuu was taking too long. He wondered, briefly, if Vaati's obsession with Princess Zelda was still lurking somewhere in this new personality's head. Sheik shuddered at the thought, and then climbed into the cart, sitting across from Fuu who seemed lost in thought after the encounter with the decoy.

"Yes," Fuu admitted, after they had settled into their seats for the long journey back to the castle. "Well, no. It's hard to explain," he said.

Sheik waited for the other to continue, although somewhat guardedly.

Meanwhile, Fuu scratched his head, puzzled. "It's like I expected her to be _more_. She was dull. Uninteresting."

"Yes, well, the stories get carried away. There's no such thing as a person who literally shines like the sun and blinds the unworthy with beauty," Sheik muttered with a bit of barely noticeable bitterness. He caught Fuu staring at him in surprise, and he furrowed his brows in response as a silent "What?"

"You surprise me," Fuu said after a while. He was smiling, and Sheik could have sworn that with every smile, Fuu's expression became increasingly devious. Maybe he was finally settling into a personality after his head had been scrambled by Twinrova. He just hoped that it was a personality that wasn't… dangerous. "I expected you to defend the princess, not agree with me."

Sheik scowled. "I'm not agreeing with you, I'm just saying the stories are ridiculous."

Fuu shrugged. "I think it's a shame," he said as he made himself comfortable on the cushions inside the caravan, "To be honest, I think you fit the image I had of the princess much better."

Again, with that devious grin. Sheik had never imagined that Fuu would be so perceptive; they hadn't spent a day together and already he was making suggestions that were much too close to the truth.

Sheik had known keeping Vaati 'leashed' was going to be difficult, but perhaps they'd underestimated just how difficult.

"You're not going to ask me why?" Fuu pressed.

"I'm not interested," Sheik said bluntly.

"How boring," Fuu sighed, resting his chin against his hands disappointedly.

Just then, the horses stirred as the coach drivers ushered them to start the journey. The caravans lurched forward, and Sheik was thankful for the momentary distraction. After all, he was stuck, alone with Fuu, for the next few hours before they arrived back at the castle. While there were usually more than two people occupying a caravan, they weren't ready to let Fuu talk to other people as he pleased just yet. No, not until they were absolutely sure that he was as safe as Twinrova assured them he would be.

Sheik didn't know how long it had taken until he'd fallen asleep, or when he had fallen asleep. Not getting any rest the night before had finally taken its toll, along with the stress he'd had for most of the morning. It wasn't a very good sleep, since he'd woken from time to time to keep an eye out on what Fuu was doing. The newly accredited Sheikah, however, seemed to be interested in watching the scenery outside rather than to cause trouble. Fuu seemed especially keen whenever they passed one of the desolate skeletons of a ravaged village, the aftermath of Vaati's terror. Sheik half-expected Fuu to bother him again with more questions, but the teen kept his quiet, pondering the view on his own.

Just when Sheik finally allowed himself to rest, however, a hand shook him urgently by the shoulders. Reflexively, Sheik's swift fingers shot towards his knife and with lightning precision, pressed a blade against Fuu's neck.

"Out there," Fuu said, his eyes wandering towards the knife at his neck.

Just as quickly, the knife vanished, and Sheik looked out towards where Fuu was pointing. He could hardly believe what he was seeing: at least two dozen monsters were closing in on them in a way that was unusually organized. "A raiding party?" Sheik hissed in disbelief, "but that's impossible. Monsters never get organized like that without a true leader, and we just defeated Vaati." They weren't prepared for this kind of raid. The most resistance they'd expected on the road was two or three monsters wandering about. A dark cloud was rushing towards them swiftly, and Sheik could make out black-furred wolves that were as large as a small horse. On their backs were crooked-backed, leather skinned creatures with large, hooked noses. Bokoblin wolfos riders.

"I'll protect the princess. Stay here, and hide if you have to," Sheik ordered.

"Hide? But aren't I a Shei-"

" _Stay here."_ Sheik repeated sternly. He was about to leave, but then stopped. He seemed to struggle against an internal argument, and then with a somewhat defeated groan he tossed an object towards Fuu.

Fuu grabbed it and studied the item in his hands. It was a knife.

"Use it only if you have to," Sheik stressed. As he vanished from the caravan, leaving Fuu all alone, he prayed that he hadn't made a mistake just now. Fuu was now alone, unsupervised, free, and worst of all, armed. _Only one day has passed and this is already a mess,_ he thought. _This will be a real test to see if Vaati is truly on our side._

* * *

fleets: I have a confession to make - I have never played any game with Sheik in it, so I may get characterizations wrong. I'm trying my best with the zeldawiki resources though, and some rumors I've heard here and there. Apologies if my characterizations become "off."

I'm still trying to figure out 'Fuu's' personality right now. Fuu is, too. I hope I'll be better about developing him as the story progresses.

 **Spartan Yoshi 90:** And I'm super duper excited to see such a warm welcome from everyone. Thank you so much!

 **Cheza the Flower Maiden:** Aw thank you so much! I hope I can finish this, especially since I hate leaving things unfinished. I'm really thankful for the no-pressure sentiment though, sincerely thank you! :)

 **Flufux:** Hahaha hi again Flufux. I honestly did not expect to talk to people through Author's Notes again (I'd been so ready to toss in the towel for fanfic writing, and yet here I am again. I must be a masochist :P ). It was such a pleasant surprise to see a response from people so soon! Also congratulations on finishing your first story! That's an amazing accomplishment, one definitely to be proud of :D I'm sorry to say I haven't really been reading stories lately (I don't really remember the last time I read one...), but it sounds like you have some great ideas with Dethl! Dethl is such an underrated character.

 **AquilaMage:** Hi again, and thank you! I felt incredibly silly coming back after I'd been so convinced that I was done... I guess you can't really know what you'll get yourself into in the future huh? Haha yeah, Vaati's a little weird, isn't he? I felt really weird writing him as such a friendly character this time around since that's not what I was used to (did a double take a few times. Sheik's a little confused, too). We'll see more of the Vaati I'm used to writing, don't you worry :3

 **Serpent Tailed Angel:** And I'm super psyched to hear from you! Ugh what have I gotten myself into again... At the same time, I'm pretty excited to be back at it again. I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss the sleepless nights and thinking about Vaati's adventures 24/7... er, what I meant is I am enjoying writing fan stories again.

 **Sorceress V:** Hi again Sorceress V, always nice to hear from you! Haha no, no rampages from him. Yet. :P

 **SubZeroChimera:** Hey thanks! :D ... Wait really? Nintendo is remembering Vaati? When? _!_ I thought they'd given up on him completely! :O


	3. Sworn to Protect

fleets: WOW when was the last time I had 3 updates in less than a week? I haven't had this much inspiration since... well... since Rend, maybe.

I am really, really thankful for everyone's amazing responses so far! They were a delight to read, you guys are too nice to me (cries) THANK YOU

Not much really happened the last two chapters, and I guess I got impatient. Let's jump right into the action, yeah?

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Sworn to Protect**

Fuu didn't really know what had happened in the next few seconds after Sheik had left him with only a knife to defend himself with. There were shouts mixed in with the panicked screams of horses, and then the entire caravan flipped over without warning. The world was a blur as cushions and wood and tent canvas tumbled all around him, and Fuu waited helplessly for the chaos to subside.

Eventually, he was able to get a bearing on his orientation, which he identified as upside down and slightly twisted to the right under a broken beam and dangerously close to the caravan wheels, threatening to crush him with their weight. Groaning, he dragged himself out from under the crash and tried to get a sense of what's going on. He felt something poke him in the ribs; it was the knife Sheik had given him.

He grabbed the knife not a moment too soon, because he was suddenly face to face with a row full of sharp teeth. Reflexively, his right hand shot forward, digging the knife deep into the side of the creature's face. The wolfos sprung back with a yowl, and then ran off, giving Fuu some time to clamber out and catch a breath.

He heard an earsplitting scream, and then a rush of wind blinded him. Blurry shapes whipped past him, and before he knew what had happened, the wolfos and bokoblins had retreated as quickly as they had come. Stunned by what had happened, Fuu stumbled towards the direction where he could hear voices.

"She's gone. Gone!"

It was one of the guards. As Fuu climbed over the fallen carriages and sidestepped some panicked horses, he saw two guards shouting about the lost princess while Impa and Sheik stood calmly next to them. He joined them just as Impa replied stoically, "Yes, they took her towards the mountain caves."

"It's clear they only wanted the princess. They left as soon as they captured her," Sheik recounted. "They could have easily overtaken us with their numbers if they'd wanted to kill us." Then, Sheik noticed Fuu standing there with an incredulous look on his face. The warrior ignored the fact that Fuu's face was gradually reddening. "I told you to stay put, Fuu." Fuu couldn't tell, but Sheik was inwardly relieved that Fuu hadn't decided to knife them all down in the chaos earlier.

"Why," Fuu stuttered, his temper visibly rising, "Why aren't you going after her?"

"We need to use caution," Impa explained calmly. "The way they organized themselves is a cause of serious concern. It means that it's highly likely that there's another powerful individual who is organizing them. We cannot simply rush into what is potentially a trap." She left out the detail that the captured princess was, at the brutal truth of it, simply a decoy.

Fuu's expression behind the cloth collar that covered his face was truly terrifying, and for a moment Sheik recognized that look of unchecked, raw fury. He'd seen that look a week ago, in the battle against the sorcerer… It was something to admire, the way the seemingly harmless teen transformed into someone with an aura of rage that was so powerful that Sheik could almost feel the burn of its fire. Albeit something to admire from a safe distance.

"We don't have time for this," Fuu snarled. Before anyone could stop him, he pushed his way past the guards towards one of the panicked horses. The creature whinnied in fright as he approached, but Fuu grabbed the reins and yanked them down, hard. The horse squealed, but almost by miracle, decided that fighting against the frightening Fuu was not worth dying for, and calmed down.

"I told you to _stay where you are,_ " Sheik demanded, his voice rising.

This time, however, Fuu refused to listen. He swung himself over the horse with the comfort of someone who had a natural talent in riding. "Whatever happened to doing everything in our power to protect the princess? Are those just empty words?" he shot, "If you won't do it, then I'll bring her back myself." He was about to spur his horse forward, when there was a sharp hiss through the air. Chains flew with incredible precision from Sheik's palms, and before Fuu knew what was going on, they wrapped around his body in tight coils. With a swift pull, Fuu was thrown off the horse, tangled in chains. In the meantime, Impa had quickly taken control of Fuu's horse, mounting it swiftly.

"Sheik, I will be up ahead," Impa announced, and then took off in the direction of the wolfos riders.

Sheik nodded once, and then returned his gaze towards the stunned Fuu, who appeared to be more in shock now than anger. "We did not say we will not go after the princess," Sheik explained slowly, tightening Fuu's chains so that he could no longer wiggle his way out of them. "To run blindly into a fight is arrogant and foolish."

Sheik left Fuu on the ground with some bewildered soldiers, and found another horse of his own to chase after Impa. Upon realizing that he was going to be left behind on the rescue mission, Fuu's anger dissipated into anxiety. "Wait!" he shouted, "I'm a Sheikah! Let me save her-"

"No," Sheik brutally cut him off, silencing him. "You are a liability."

And with that, he left the stunned Fuu lying helplessly on the ground with the guards.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sheik left his horse tied to a bush next to Impa's, and then climbed up a ledge that was hanging just over the dungeon entrance. Impa was already scouting the area from above. Stone pillars lined the entrance to the dungeon doors, which were embossed with the symbol of a single imposing eye. There was no doubt about it, this was a dungeon that had been used by Vaati.

"They ran into there," Impa nodded towards the doors upon Sheik's approach. Sheik scanned the dozens and dozens of monsters that were patrolling the dungeon entrance. The sand kicked up under their feet as they moved back and forth, looking for intruders. The guards were mostly lizalfos, bipedal, lizard-like creatures armed with spears. Unlike their wetlands brethren, the desert variation had gold and brown scales which shimmered in the sunlight against the sand.

"There's too many of them. We won't win against them in a direct fight," Sheik noted.

Impa nodded again in agreement. "We will find a way around." Then, after she briefly surveyed the rocks to her left, she began to walk along the edge of the ledge they were on. Sheik followed, his footsteps light like a cat's. "How is the sorcerer?" Impa asked, quickly making her way towards a crack in the rocks up above the dungeon doors.

Sheik, noticing what she was aiming for, was one step ahead now. He dashed ahead and then leapt off of the edge of the overhang. He grabbed hold of the rocky surface above the dungeon cave. He slowed his fall, his fingers clawing into the stone, and then swung himself into the hole in the wall. As Impa joined him momentarily, he took a look outside. No one had noticed that they were there. "I left him with the guards. I think he got the message," Sheik informed Impa, and then the two continued forward into the tunnel that led deeper into the dungeon.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Fuu got the message all right.

He got the message that everyone was treating him like a child and he needed to prove them wrong.

At first he'd been stunned to hear that he was a _liability._ They thought he was just going to slow them all down. He'd had a moment of disappointment, but he didn't wallow in self-pity for too long. He'd become outright furious. How dare Sheik treat him like a child that needed hand holding. 'Fuu don't move, Fuu stay here, Fuu don't touch anything,' for goddesses' sake he could take care of himself!

"Untie me," Fuu's voice cut through the air like a knife. The two guards who had been left with the Sheikah apprentice exchanged glances uncertainly. When they took too long, Fuu snapped impatiently, "Didn't you hear me? I said _untie me_."

The guards hesitated. They'd seen the entire exchange between Sheik and Fuu earlier, and it didn't seem wise to listen to Fuu. Hesitantly, the guard began to explain, "But the Sheikah said…"

"And I am a Sheikah as well, so you will do as I say!" Fuu barked.

"But…"

" _Now_."

The guards exchanged one last uncertain glance with each other. Neither of them wanted to take responsibility for untying the angry Sheikah, but at the same time, they recognized that there were only two options: they could either incur the wrath of the controlled Sheikah, or incur the wrath of the unpredictable, easily angered (and probably more violent) Sheikah. They decided the former option was a much better alternative.

"That took you long enough," Fuu spat, rubbing his wrists where the chains had dug into his skin. He stretched his limbs, and then walked around for a bit, looking for something. He then noticed one of the guard's swords propped against a nearby cart, and then claimed it as his own. The guard began to object, but his friend shushed him. Fuu buckled the sword against his waist, and then rounded on the guards, sending them scurrying backwards nervously. "I am sworn to protect the princess," he explained to them slowly, for emphasis, "and nothing will ever stand in my way, do you understand? Nothing." The Sheikah then mounted the few remaining horses and rode on after Impa and Sheik. The dust clouds settled, and the desert was at peace again.

A few minutes later, once the guards had taken some time to process everything that had happened in the last hour, one of them turned to the other. "The princess," he wiped his brow, "the princess is in good hands," he said, his voice cracking. All the other good could do was nod in agreement.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Subtlety had never been one of Vaati's strong points, and by extension, neither was it Fuu's.

Fuu didn't bother surveying the area like the two Sheikahs before him, or finding some way to sneak past the guards. Fuu came in charging on horseback, straight towards the mob of monsters, alone and armed only with a single sword.

This should have been a laughably impossible charge. What could one person do against a small army of dangerous monsters? For some reason, however, a wave of distress spread amongst the patrolling monsters. They'd never seen anything quite like the approaching Sheikah, yelling at them at the top of his voice. It was like an unexpected storm, rushing forward without warning and leaving only ruin in its wake.

" _Nothing will ever stand in my way!"_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It had been about half an hour later or so when Impa and Sheik finally made it to the end of the tunnel. They had hit a few precarious areas where some serious acrobatics had been demanded to continue forward, but they had made it nonetheless. Sheik had a close call when an unsuspecting rope had slithered into their path: the deadly snakes often liked to rest in the tunneled corners of Hyrule's dungeons, and Sheik had nearly stepped on it. Even so, they had made it. It had been a slow, careful process, but they had finally made it. Impa dropped down onto the rafters of the dungeon, followed by Sheik. The captured decoy should have been brought to the final chamber, where they were now.

Sheik felt a hand on his arm. It was Impa. Thinking she'd found the decoy, Sheik looked over to where she was facing.

He was almost right. The princess was there, but someone he didn't expect was carrying her.

"Fuu? _!_ " Sheik exclaimed uncharacteristically, breaking his cover. Below him, Fuu looked upwards to where they were in surprise. Sheik dropped down, aghast at the other teen and the unconscious decoy in his arms. "What are you doing here? _!_ "

"Rescuing the princess…" Fuu replied flatly, as though it were obvious. His brows knitted together in confusion. "Weren't you ahead of me?" he asked.

Sheik ignored his question. "I thought I told you to stay with the guards," he reprimanded. Before an argument could start again, Impa joined them. Zelda's guardian dropped down from the rafters between the two teens.

"More importantly," she extended an arm in front of Sheik, forcing him to back down. Impa's voice took on a grave tone as she asked the question everyone was wondering. "How did you get here?"

Fuu's brows knitted together in even further confusion. He had a look on his face that suggested he couldn't believe he had to continue explaining the obvious. "I came in through the door."

"How did you get past the monsters?" Sheik demanded.

At this, Fuu finally understood their questions. The puzzlement left his face, and his eyes narrowed. A cold, faint smile could just barely be seen behind the cloth that hid his face. Wordlessly, he walked over to the main door of the chamber.

"The Sheikah protect the royal family," he said, kicking the doors open. Before them was a disquieting sight. Not a single monster was to be seen. However, the fresh bloodstains that painted the walls suggested that the monsters had died and dissipated to dust, as monsters do when they're slain. The most disturbing part of the scene was how some of the blood went up towards the ceiling; a testament to the brutality of the fight that had happened here. Well, no, this had been no fight.

It had been a slaughter.

"Nothing will stand in my way," Fuu finished, as Impa and Sheik stared at the former sorcerer in disbelief.

They were so in shock that no one noticed a shadow flicker along the walls of the chamber. They didn't notice anything even as the last person left, and the doors closed behind them. The shadow bubbled along the walls, and then, as though it had come to some sort of conclusion, darted towards the center of the room. Any onlooker would have agreed that the shadow was _alive_.

It settled around the area where Fuu had been standing moments before. Then, the shadow slowly rose up out of the ground, taking on the silhouette of a young man with a pointed hat. An eerie smile appeared where the shadow's face would have been.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Perceptive, talkative, impatient, quick to anger, and ruthlessly brutal in his methods. The dungeon traps never activated for him, and he clearly remembers how to use magic."

They had all safely arrived back at Hyrule castle with little further incident. The attack had delayed them a little and it was well past dusk, and the party was extremely grateful when they were finally able to retire to their own rooms to rest. Well, most everyone, except for Sheik and Impa. They were currently discussing what had happened back at the dungeon now that they had sent Fuu away to his own quarters in one of the empty, unused barracks in the castle.

Sheik tapped a finger on his palm as he listed all of Fuu's characteristics he'd observed in the last 24 hours. "He is too much like Vaati. I've been wary of this plan from the start, and I'm less assured now that I've seen what he can do."

Impa leaned against the wall on the opposite side, the moonlight from the window illuminating her features. She nodded understandingly. "It is prudent to be careful of him, given his history. However, we cannot deny that he is enthusiastic about protecting Hyrule's interests."

Sheik crossed his arms, and turned his gaze away to the side, somewhat ashamed to admit that this was true. Though messy in his methods, Vaa… _Gufuu_ , had never once indicated that he held any ill will towards Hyrule and had only become upset when they had prevented him from helping. At the same time, the memory of the blood painted dungeon had been all too familiar: Fuu had used the same sort of magic he'd been capable of using as Vaati. "If he's serious about protecting Hyrule, then why did he hide the fact that he could use magic from us?"

"Perhaps he didn't think it was worth mentioning? We associate his magic with Vaati, but perhaps he does not, since he has no memory of ever being the wind mage. Did you ever bother to ask him?"

Sheik turned his head away even further. Impa did have a point, though he was loathe to admit it. To be honest, Sheik had been nervous to talk to Fuu after the incident at the temple, and had avoided any sort of conversation for the remainder of their journey.

Impa sighed sympathetically, and walked over to where Sheik was still contemplating her words in silence. She placed a hand on his shoulder softly. "I think you've been a little too harsh on the boy."

Sheik raised an eyebrow, but he uncrossed his arms a little, indicating that he was willing to listen.

"Give him a chance," Impa said, "He doesn't know that he was ever Vaati. All he knows is that he is one of us. He's very perceptive, and I'm sure he's picked up on how we treat him like a venomous snake. If this continues, he will surely become what we fear."

Impa was right, of course. She was often right, even as Zelda this was true, and that was why Sheik was always grateful for her advice.

"What he really needs now someone to guide him," Impa continued. "He needs a friend."

Sheik shook his head slowly, and then he shook his head even more. When he spoke, he was no longer speaking as Sheik, but as Zelda. "Impa I don't… I don't know how." It was true, he didn't really know how to make friends. While Zelda had an entire kingdom who adored her and knew of her name, she never really had anyone she could truly call a friend. She knew how and when to smile the right way to make people like her, and she knew how to keep conversations going and making others feel comfortable. But they weren't real friends. Sometimes, she wasn't even sure what a real friend was. Link was the closest thing to a friend that she had, but because she was always busy with her work and Link was busy helping the smithy, they spoke to each other maybe once a week if they were lucky. As Sheik it was even worse. Sheik didn't know how to be close to anyone because the only way to survive was to be paranoid of everyone. He was a spy: he couldn't have friends. Zelda's ability to make friendships was one of her biggest insecurities, and now she had to try and be friends with the last person she wanted to be friends with. And as Sheik no less.

Sheik's composure broke, and his eyes searched Impa's for any sort of clarity. All he received was a compassionate smile and words he wasn't sure what to do with. "Talk to him, Sheik. That's all you have to do for now."

* * *

fleets: We're getting there, slowly, surely. We really haven't gotten to any sort of plot yet, but I hope this chapter was a little more exciting than the other ones. Anyone surprised that I showed my cards already, regarding Fuu's more... Vaati-esque personality? I was really debating about this one, but I figured it would be a pretty boring read if most of the story was reading about some guy named Fuu who had zero resemblance to Vaati at all (except, well, his looks). I mean you must have come here for Vaati, yeah, given that my entire collection is based off of this guy? So yeah, Fuu still has all of those wonderfully awful traits that I've characterized in Vaati in previous stories. He's not very cute :D

 **SubZeroChimera:** Thank you! I'm enjoying writing this so far (my only fear is to make this too similar to stuff I've written already). Also I saw your links! Nintendo is totally referencing Vaati ahhh! I wonder if I should play Triforce Heroes now...

 **Cheza the Flower Maiden:** Though he forgot about all of his motivations and memories, his core personality is still there (and what an awful one it is haha)! Oh hey I really like that idea you brought up (about him being nimble), it didn't even occur to me! I might make a reference to it in the future, if that's o.k. with you (not sure yet)? I'll mention you in the A.N. in the chapter I include it in (if I forget, please yell at me!) It was nice hearing from you, thank you so much! :)

 **Sorceress V:** Haha I don't know if he'll appreciate being called cute (just between you and me, he's adorable XD ). He can do a loooot of damage. He's still Vaati after all. Kind of.

 **Flufux:** While memories are different, base personalities are pretty similar, and given that Vaati had a pretty awful personality, Sheik has a lot of work ahead of him :P  
If you do, let me know, I'd love to see it! :D I was doodling them earlier and I just noticed that Vaati/Sheikah and Sheik is really similar in appearance if they're wearing the same clothes (like, even their bangs are the same, except mirrored).

I love Dethl for the fact that he's one of the most flexible characters in the Zelda-verse. I think yours is the first female identifying Dethl I've seen! :)  
The Dethl in this story will be similar (but not quite the same) as the Dethl I introduced in Rend. I can't really say much because of spoilers, but I guess we'll get there when we get there.

 **AquilaMage:** Ohhh he definitely still has Vaati in him. Especially the part about rushing into things without thinking (cough-MinishCapUltraFail-cough).  
That's actually really helpful. So I guess I can't fail too horribly about making him OOC.

 **Vesperupus:** Yes I did! I did the thing! I'd be lying if I said I wasn't influenced by your comment saying I should go for it :) I just hope it will be new and different enough from the gen fics I've written so far. I think the struggle will be ebbs and flows. I see Sheik as being paranoid by nature, which kind of exacerbates things. Maybe I should warn people that I'll stomp all over their feelings for a few scenes in the story :P You guys are used to my feels train by now though, yeah?


	4. Humility

fleets: Happy New Year! How better to kick off my 2016 writing resolutions than to submit a chapter? Also the website has apparently been suffering some glitches regarding disappearing reviews, but I was able to see them via email. Hopefully I didn't miss anyone's!

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Humility**

Fuu had been looking forward to sleeping in and having the entire day to himself to rest after arriving to Hyrule Castle from the Gerudo village. The trip had been a long one, he'd had a headache for most of the day, and he'd had to rescue the princess herself from a dungeon. He'd gone to sleep with a cocky smile on his face; he was going to treasure the memory of seeing Sheik and Impa looking at him in shock when they'd arrived late to the rescue. Sheik thought that he'd be a liability? Ha! He'd gotten to the princess way ahead of them even after he'd gotten a late start. Ah… it had been such a great day.

But now he was tired, and he wanted to sleep past sunrise, past breakfast, and maybe even past lunch. He felt he deserved having an entire day where he could just roll around in bed and only get up when he had to.

Of course things didn't go the way he imagined it to go.

Something made a small " _thock_ " sound sometime around dawn. Fuu wasn't sure what time it was, exactly, but he knew it was Din damned early because the sun hadn't even risen past the rooftops yet. He successfully ignored the noise, rolling over in his sheets and pulling the covers higher over his head.

About ten seconds later, the clock hanging over the bed fell on his head with a mechanical thrum, a last ditch wail as it broke from the impact. This was much more difficult to ignore.

" _ARGHHH!_ " Fuu shouted, springing out of bed. He yelled a string of profanities when his face hit the arrow that had been lodged just above his head, and yelled some newer curses when his flailing arm hit the wreckage of the ruined clock. He stopped yelling for a minute, making sure there was nothing else that was going to bother him, and then gave one last shout and broke a vase in the corner for no other reason except that he was angry at inanimate objects.

After he calmed down, he noticed two arrows stuck on the wall. One was the one he'd head-butted after being awoken unceremoniously by the broken clock. The other had snapped the string that kept the clock on the wall. He frowned when he saw that there was a note attached to both arrows.

"Ugh, what now."

Fuu pulled the first arrow from the wall. He stumbled around in the dark for a little until he found a candle, and then stumbled around some more to find something to light it with. The sun wasn't even up properly yet: why couldn't they just let him sleep in peace.

Maybe he should have been concerned that someone had shot two arrows into his sleeping quarters. However, he had a fairly good guess on who it was from, and he was pretty certain he was right about his guess when he read the first note. "Training today," he groaned, mumbling the note aloud, "come to the castle training grounds immediately, without being seen by anyone. This is a test."

 _Great._

His day was off to a wonderful start. Did they always train so early in the morning? Did Sheik and Impa have no concept of 'days off,' especially after a rather excitement filled day yesterday? He ripped the other note rather forcefully from the remaining arrow. He was already scowling before he saw the message. "Good morning."

Wordlessly, he took crumpled the message into a tiny little ball and threw it out the window as hard as he could. In an awful mood, Fuu changed out of his robes and slipped on his new Sheikah uniform that he'd found ready for him in his room. It was identical to the one Sheik wore. He started working on the bandages to wrap around his ankles, fingers, and wrists, but deciding it was taking too long, he tossed them back into the bedside drawers again and ran out of the house.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Although Impa and Sheik may have been skeptical about Vaati's physical capabilities, Fuu was surprisingly nimble and sneaky. It was almost as though he had a natural affinity for finding paths that weren't obvious, and quickly slipping through the shadows. It could have had something to do with his Minish origins, though he wouldn't have been able to remember it. The Minish were a mythical race of creatures no taller than a thumb, and they were said to be responsible for hiding various helpful items all around Hyrule. Naturally, they were very good at moving quickly without being seen.

As soon as he left the barracks, Fuu took one look at his surroundings and quickly gauged the best path towards the training grounds. Finding a line of ivy and a barrel that could be used as a footstep, Fuu jumped up and climbed up the vines until he was on the rooftop. From there, he could see where the guards were patrolling, and anyone else he would have to be careful of. He didn't want to leave a bad impression on Impa by failing this test: this was a good opportunity to show her and Sheik that he could be relied on.

 _There_. He saw a path he could take that would lead him up towards the outer curtains, to the inner wall, and then up and over the other side where the training grounds would be. By staying up above, all he would have to worry about would be the guards patrolling the battlements and the outer curtain. Fuu dashed across the barrack roofs, hopping from one to the other. He breathed a sigh of relief when he nearly lost his balance during a particularly long jump, but continued onwards; although he was nimble, relying heavily on magic as Vaati had made the muscles in his arms and legs rather weak.

Embarrassingly, Fuu was almost out of breath by the time he'd cleared the first leg of his path, and he had to stop and rest when he reached the walkway on the outer curtain. While this should have been a clear sign to anyone that he'd overestimated his own abilities, Fuu was stubborn. Upon catching his breath, he continued onwards down to the end of the walkway, sliding past the occasional guards by making use of the supply crates and barrels that were there. He reached the part of the wall where there was some heavy ivy overgrowth, which he could use to climb down the outer wall, and make his way towards the inner wall. He winced when the skin on his palms were rubbed raw from gripping the ivy; his skin was soft from years of not having to do any manual work, and he wished now that he'd taken the time to actually tape his hands this morning.

He was a third of the way down when his tired arms gave way and he lost his grip.

Fuu fell down, clawing at the ivy for any sort of grip to slow himself down, before he eventually fell on top of an unsuspecting pedestrian.

 _Smash!_

"Ughhh."

"… Owww."

The pedestrian recovered first, wiggling his way out from under the Sheikah that had rained down from the skies. He was a teenager who appeared to be of similar age as Fuu, and he didn't seem to be a castle guard even though he was armed with a sword and shield. The boy was wearing a pine green tunic and a pointed hat of a similar color, rather than the polished armor of the guards. He rubbed the side of his head where Fuu had accidentally hit him, and brushed away his dirty blond hair that had been tussled over his eyes. "Ouch," he repeated, and then crawled over to where Fuu lay to help him up. "A-are you ok?"

Fuu wobbled onto his feet, steadying himself against the wall. He blinked in surprise when he finally noticed the other teen. With a disappointed groan, Fuu covered his face with his hands. "Damn it." He'd had such a good run, but he'd failed Impa's test. This… this fool wasn't even a guard. What was he doing here at this hour anyway?

"For a second I thought you were Sheik," the blond said, waving his hand towards Vaati's outfit. "I haven't seen you around before. My name's Link."

"Gufuu, Fuu for short," Fuu grumbled, still upset at himself for his failure. Then, he realized that he'd heard the other person's name before. "Link? Isn't that the name of the hero who almost defeated Vaati?"

At this, Link laughed, scratching his head bashfully. "Almost, until he was beaten by Dethl. Honestly I don't know why people keep saying I'm a hero. I barely did anything."

It was then that Fuu saw things he didn't catch earlier, like how Link's face was deeply scarred with claw marks running diagonally from his forehead to his chin, how the dark bags under his eyes made him appear more aged than he really was, and how he stood a little crookedly to the left as though his right leg couldn't support his full leg. Fuu's disgruntled frown softened a little in sympathy, but he was still upset that his test had been foiled by the wandering hero. "What were you doing here at this hour, anyway?" he grumbled.

"Couldn't sleep," Link admitted, "I haven't really been able to since… well…" he trailed off.

 _Since Dethl's attack,_ Fuu thought. He glanced up at the inner wall of the castle where he had to go next. The training grounds were just on the other side, and he probably should be heading over there rather than chatting with Link. At the same time, he'd already failed his test completely, so did it even matter?

"And you? What were you doing, climbing around the walls?"

Fuu grimaced from Link's question. It had been an embarrassing screw up, and he honestly didn't want to think about it anymore. "I was in the middle of a test," he muttered.

"Oh. Did you pass?" Link asked carefully, though he could already guess the answer from how upset Fuu looked.

"Probably not. I was supposed to get to the training grounds without being seen."

"Ah."

Now Link was looking awkward, since he'd been part of the reason that Fuu had failed, and Link looking awkward made Fuu feel awkward. Before it could get even more awkward, Fuu began to walk away in a random direction (awkwardly) so as to end the conversation. "So, yeah, guess I'll go this way."

"Hey wait," Link stopped him. Fuu tilted his head to the side, somewhat annoyed, but Link explained hurriedly, "I know you might know all of this since you're a Sheikah and all, but I can help you get past the rest of the guards without being seen. You won't have to climb any walls, either."

"I can climb walls just fine," Fuu frowned, his voice barely hiding his offense. Then, he saw Link pointing at his raw red hands skeptically. "Fine. Even though it might not matter if the guards see me or not since I failed anyway."

"Great! Thanks, Fuu, I feel bad that I screwed up your test. I hope this kind of makes up for it," Link said apologetically. "We're actually pretty close to the secret tunnels, so this shouldn't take very long."

Fuu was taken aback by Link's honest cheerfulness. The only two people he could clearly remember in his muddled memory, Sheik and Impa, only treated him with a guarded distance. He wasn't really sure what to make of Link's open demeanor.

Link led the way to a clump of bushes growing alongside the wall. They squeezed past them until Fuu could see a hatch on the ground. Link pulled it open and jumped in ahead. It was dark and clammy, and Fuu could barely see where he was going as they made their way through the tunnel. Fuu had to crouch a little to avoid hitting his head against the low ceiling, and his feet splashed a few puddles from the rainwater that had gathered here a few times. There was a strong scent of wet dirt.

"I know a lot of the passages in and out of the castle," Link explained as they continued forward.

"You're not a thief, are you?" Fuu asked, wondering why, exactly, Link knew about secret tunnels that no one was probably supposed to know about.

"Haha of course not! I just like to explore," Link chuckled. "Sometimes you find interesting things."

"Like things that don't belong to you and belong to someone else."

Link led him down a series of turns in the tunnel, and Fuu was glad that he hadn't attempted to navigate the underground maze without a guide. He was pretty sure he wasn't going to be able to go back from the way he came. At least, not without a torch. Link seemed to have done this several dozen times before, from how comfortable he seemed to find his way around in the dark.

"You're not really like the other Sheikah that I know," Link said, "When you first appeared I half expected you to disappear after leaving me with a cryptic message."

At this, Fuu snorted. That sounded like something Sheik and Impa would do. Then, he became curious. "What do you know about Sheik?" he asked. He was somewhat disappointed in the answer, but at the same time, he wasn't surprised by it.

"Honestly, I don't really know much about Sheik at all," Link admitted. "He doesn't say much, and he mostly keeps to himself. I've only ever seen him a few times when he wanted to help me with something. Still, I can tell he really cares about Hyrule, maybe more than anyone."

"I'm pretty sure he thinks I'm an idiot," Fuu added, muttering under his breath.

"I wouldn't take it personally," Link assured him, "He's like that with everyone. I think he's just uncomfortable being around people." His tone suddenly took on a somber note. "I owe him, too. He saved me when I was attacked by Dethl. I actually don't remember much of what happened, except that I was trapped in some kind of awful nightmare. Impa told me later that Sheik pulled me out from some monsters who were attacking me while I was unconscious."

Link stopped, and then pointed at some light falling through the cracks in the ceiling above them. "There," he said, "This ladder should lead up to the training grounds. I'll leave here, so you can go on alone. Maybe you'll be lucky and they didn't see you with me earlier."

"Maybe…" Fuu said doubtfully. As the other boy began to leave, Fuu gave a small cough. "Erm, thanks."

It was difficult to read expressions in the dark, but Fuu could imagine Link's bright smile. "No problem! Good luck with your training."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As Fuu made his way up the ladder, he began to feel somewhat hopeful about his test. Maybe Link was right, and maybe no one had seen him talking to Link on his way here. This tunnel seemed pretty well hidden: maybe, just maybe, he could trick Impa into thinking he'd made it to the training grounds without being seen.

He pushed open the hatch, the light from the sun hitting his face.

 _Thock!_

Fuu froze. He slowly dared to look up towards the top of his head where an arrow had whizzed by. The cloth wrap that had been sitting on top of his head was no longer there. He cautiously peered to his left, and saw the hat in question. It was pierced to the wall by an arrow.

"I've been following your progress."

Fuu flinched at the sound of Impa's voice. Zelda's guardian dropped down from seemingly nowhere, armed with a bow. Fuu scowled at it briefly, thinking about how he'd been woken up this morning.

"You failed," Impa stated.

Fuu groaned, and then crawled out of the tunnel. He frowned when he saw that Sheik was already there, practicing archery in the shooting range. Fuu kicked away some branches that were in his way out of frustration, and brushed himself off of leaves. "Do we have to train so early?" Fuu muttered unhappily.

Impa held out her bow and quiver, motioning Fuu to join Sheik. "The situation has changed. It is much more serious than we initially believed," she explained. Then, with a heavy voice, she added, "There was an attack on the Gerudo village last night."

Fuu looked up sharply. If they had been there just a single day longer…

Impa assuaged him. "No one was severely hurt. They have good warriors there, and Twinrova are powerful witches. However, we can be sure now that there is definitely a new leader within the monsters, especially with what happened when we were attacked in the desert."

Fuu's frown deepened as he listened. He then pulled an arrow from his quiver, turning it over a few times as though wondering what to do with it. He glanced over at Sheik to observe what he was doing, since the other Sheikah seemed to be having no trouble firing arrow after arrow, even splitting some that had already hit the bullseye.

Impa continued to describe the current situation. "We only have guesses as to who this new leader is. Whoever it is, they are keeping a much lower profile than Vaati ever did. However, we have a suspicion that it's the creature that calls itself Dethl, according to Link. Previously, there had been reports that Dethl was working under Vaati, and although it was a target we intended to defeat after we had stopped Vaati, we never realized just how big of a threat it could be. We assumed that it was simply another titan, like Gohma and the Helmaroc King. Once the leader falls, titans usually retreat back to their own dungeons. The recent attacks suggest that our assumptions were wrong."

Fuu was now struggling to nock his arrow. The arrow kept wobbling even before he started pulling back on the string. Sheik had already fired at least ten shots during this time. "Why do you think it's Dethl? Couldn't it be something else?"

"It could be, yes," Impa said, her eyebrows raising somewhat from watching Fuu's struggle with the bow. "But the attack on the Gerudo was similar to what had happened to Link. The reports are still inconclusive on whether Dethl is working on its own, or working under someone new. Either way, we are now certain that there is a new threat, and we must prepare."

Fuu finally managed to keep the arrow steady on the bow. He took aim at the target in front of him. His arms shook from the force of the bow even before it was pulled halfway back. When he let go of the string, the arrow whimpered forward and flopped sadly onto the grass, not even close to the target. Fuu tossed the bow and arrows aside, frustrated. "Well, why aren't we going after Dethl then? We should be bringing the fight to them, not waiting for them to attack us."

"We cannot attack because we don't know where Dethl is." Impa walked over and picked up the bow that Fuu had tossed away. The apprentice had his arms crossed over his chest, an expression of disgust on his face. When Impa smiled, it was sly. "I am glad that you are eager to fight, because that is what today's training is for."

Fuu scoffed, waving her away. "I don't need to use _bows_ ," he said indignantly, "or even knives or swords. You saw what I did at the dungeon yesterday. I am capable of more than what anyone else can do. I should be practicing _this_ ," he snapped his fingers, an insidious glint appearing in his eyes. A gust gushed past them, knocking over a few of the target dummies and pads. Sheik looked up when his shooting was interrupted.

Impa, however, did not look impressed. She reached into one of her pouches that hung from her waist and pulled out a small apple. She tossed it to Sheik. "Alright," she said, "I will allow you to skip training," she held up a finger when Fuu looked like he'd already won, " _if_ you can use your abilities to cut the apple in Sheik's hand. I will give you a minute."

Fuu's eyes narrowed, his grin widening. Cracking his knuckles, he pointed a finger at Sheik who was watching him lazily, the apple sitting in his hand. "Guess I won't be seeing you on the training grounds after this, Sheik," he cackled. Fuu pulled back his right hand, taking aim at the apple. He squinted for a few seconds, taking aim, and then suddenly whipped his hand forward to unleash a blade-like wave of wind. It didn't hit the apple, however, as Sheik tossed it into the air out of the blade's way. "Ha! I figured you'd do something like that," Fuu sneered. He threw a second wind-blade, and then a third and fourth.

The apple vanished, along with Sheik.

"Wha-?"

A leg struck out from under him, knocking him off balance. Fuu slammed into the ground. Before he could get up again, his hands were swiftly tied together. Sheik watched Fuu, unmoved, while the other swore profusely in a foreign tongue as he struggled to get up from the ground. After about a minute had passed, Impa said simply, "Time's up."

"That wasn't fair," Fuu spat as Sheik untied his hands. He grumbled, complaining as he got up from the ground and dusted himself off, "Sheik had it easier because the one on the defensive always has the advantage. I would've won if our places had been swapped."

"Sheik," Impa clapped twice. Sheik nodded, and then tossed the apple back to Impa. Impa handed the apple to Fuu, whose disgruntled brows were still furrowed. "I will allow you to try again, this time with you on the defensive. Prevent Sheik from cutting this apple and you will never have to come back for training ever again."

Color rose to Fuu's cheeks. With a glower, he snatched the apple from Impa's hands and glared at Sheik. "Fine. This will be easy."

Sheik didn't even need a minute. As soon as Impa gave the signal, a dagger appeared in Sheik's hands. With a quick movement, Sheik angled the sunlight, now pouring over the castle walls, so that it glared into Fuu's eyes. Fuu winced from the blinding light, and in his brief moment of hesitation, Sheik closed in on him. Once again, Sheik kicked Fuu's legs out from under him with a swift sweep, and tied his wrists so that he could no longer use spells. For the remaining time, Sheik slowly quartered the apple into neat slices with his dagger.

Fuu didn't even bother yelling this time. He spent the time on his ground silently glaring at the tufts of grass in front of his face.

"You see," Impa said while Sheik helped Fuu get out of his binds again, "fighting isn't about being fancy, and it isn't about being fair. It is about being efficient, and using every advantage. Every edge. While your magic is powerful, your fighting style leaves you open to several vulnerabilities."

Sheik offered Fuu one of the apples he'd sliced, but Fuu angrily swatted his hand away. Fuu made one last ditch effort to save whatever dignity he had left. "Hmph! I bet the only reason why you want me to train using these silly little knives and bows is because you don't know anything about magic."

"Sheik."

Later, Fuu would swear up and down that a bead of nervous sweat did _not_ roll down his nose when Impa called the younger warrior's name in that same, unimpressed way. He would also claim that he didn't quite remember what had happened.

It had been the fastest contest yet. As soon as Fuu saw Sheik twirling a piece of rope, he lashed out with a small tornado that roared towards the warrior. To Fuu's shock, Sheik spun his wrist in a small circle, and magical sigils appeared in midair. Fuu's attack rebounded with a flash of brilliant white light, back in his direction. His own attack hit him squarely in the chest, and Fuu was sent tumbling backwards until he hit the castle wall. Sheik didn't even have to tie Fuu's wrists this time before it was over.

"I don't need magic to beat you," Sheik said when Fuu regained his senses. It was the first and only thing Sheik said to him that morning, making the words weigh that much more.

It stung.

Impa walked over, kneeling next to Fuu who was still sitting against the wall, stunned by his series of, frankly pitiful, losses. "You never completed your Sheikah training, Fuu," she said gently. "There is no shame in losing to Sheik."

Fuu bit his cheek, turning away. He looked up briefly when he saw Impa's outstretched hand.

"We have high hopes for you. Come, I will do my best to train you in two weeks."

* * *

fleets: I know there's still a lot of questions that I haven't answered yet - I was hoping to get around to addressing more this chapter, but I think it'll have to wait for the next few. For instance, I didn't really talk about why Vaati would have been able to beat Sheik but Fuu couldn't do a thing, and I didn't really get to develop anything more substantial between Sheik and Vaati this chapter. Details like that, I'll address in the next chapter.

Also thank you so much to Cheza the Flower Maiden! They brought up a point about Vaati being agile because he was once a Minish, and I really liked that characterization of him!

Lastly, Link - It occurred to me that I never wrote Link with actual scars, which is weird since he tends to get in fights a lot. That has been amended in this story.

Thank you so much for the reviews! I hope I didn't miss any one's because of the site-wide glitch, but please let me know if I missed responding to yours!

 **Serpent Tailed Angel:** Hahaha yeahhh I've been updating quite quickly! I anticipate it slowing down eventually...? (I mean there's no way I can continue this pace realistically... I think?). This story has me excited though, I keep finding excuses to write it.

 **SubZeroChimera:** I think I might have messed up the pacing somewhere, because as soon as you said that I hit my head with a d'oh! Well, I hope this chapter amended that, kind of sort of. They don't really know what Dethl _is_ , yet. Never encountered anything quite like it. (between you and me, I bs'd that into this chapter after seeing your comment to find a way to make it work. I think it works...? Anyways what I want to say is thank you so much for pointing that out!)  
And I'll definitely keep that in mind! I haven't really been playing any DS games recently but I'll shoot you a message if/when I get the game! :)

 **Vesperupus:** Hurray! As for the feels kit, you'll know when to get it when it seems like things are going a little too well because I clearly hate happy things :P

 **Flufux:** You'll see who that shadowy character was soonish :) I prefer Shadow Link myself, too. I think I was influenced by the manga because they gave him a lot of personality there. Haha yeah they are! If it ever happens definitely let me know, but I enjoy the idea of it all the same :D

 **Cheza the Flower Maiden:** Eh, I did it anyway :P I'm so thankful for my reviewers though, because I can really see what people are noticing and keying in on when they read my chapters :D  
A confrontation of Zelda and Fuu would be interesting indeed ;)

 **AquilaMage:** Ahahaha what a short story that would be! I had a kick out of reading that (thinking of Vaati rushing in, instantly dying, and Sheik and Impa come back and it's just "welp, there's that") XD  
I can't _wait_ for when I get to introduce Shadow Link! He's going to cause a storm alright.

 **Lord Siravant:** I thought you'd like the inclusion of Dethl :) I was actually inspired by Star Wars (one of the games) for this story haha (the hype is too strong here!). That, and I also really like memory problems.

 **Ai Star:** Thank you! It's... probably not the best idea to have Vaati walking around haha. Happy happy new year!

 **Reily96:** Aaaah thank you! But imagine... magical wizard Ninjas. I am going to turn Vaati into a magical wizard ninja. Although Sheik will still kick his ass in ninja-ing.  
D'aww thank you! I can still proudly say that you were my original inspiration to put stuff up here and write about Vaaters :3 


	5. Confrontation

fleets: I admit this chapter is not well proofread. I have an outline but I don't know what the crapadoodle I'm doing. Not sleeping because of self-imposed Bad Ideas also has something to do with my current state of ?

I don't really know where I'm going with this so I'll just be quiet now.

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Confrontation**

By the end of the third day of training, Fuu was looking fairly exhausted. After day 1, Impa had judged that Fuu needed a lot more physical training, and he'd also been given extra exercises for failing his first test. Impa had him running laps around the castle, running while carrying weights, and climbing up and down walls. On the third day she thought he needed more motivation, so she had him compete with Sheik. Even though there was no real prize for finishing laps first other than being able to say he won, that alone made Fuu try even harder.

He didn't end up 'winning,' and he looked just about ready to collapse when the clock struck 3pm. Sheik appeared fine even after they had finished running four complete circuits around Hyrule Castle's rooftops, which included a lot of leaping, sprinting, climbing, and jumping up and down obstacles.

"You did good today, both of you. Fuu, I can see much more improvement since yesterday but you haven't pushed your limit yet. You should be able to complete the run in half the time you just did," Impa said, to Fuu who was bent over with his hands on his knees, breathing hard.

Fuu barely looked up just enough to return an expression that clearly said "Are you serious?" before he went back to staring at the spot between his knees, waiting for his breathing to slow.

"We won't do the evening runs today. I," she gave a heavy sigh, and Sheik tensed briefly as though he already knew what she was going to say, "must leave castle town to take care of some matters. There has been another attack, this time on some merchants on their way to Death Mountain. I need to investigate what happened."

This seemed to take Fuu by surprise, and he looked up momentarily at the news of the attack. Crow's feet appeared on his forehead as he frowned at the news, but he didn't say anything. He was disturbed by the news of an attack so soon after the one on the Gerudo Village.

"Go get some rest tomorrow, and we'll meet again the day after." Impa gave a small bow, which Sheik returned and which Fuu was too tired to do the same. Before long, Sheik and Fuu were left alone under the afternoon sun. It was late summer, and the sun was still high in the sky at 3 in the afternoon. Normally Fuu would have been happy that he would have most of the afternoon off, but they had started training early in the morning again, and all he wanted to do now was go home and take a nap.

"She," Fuu gasped, finally finding some kind of air in his lungs, "has got to be kidding me. _Half the time?_ That's impossible." Sheik could tell that something about the news of the merchant attack was bothering him, from the way Fuu redirected the conversation back to something else. Fuu reached for a small goatskin bag hanging from his waist for some water, looking irritated when it turned out to be empty.

"It is possible. I have done it," Sheik said, and then offered him his own water.

Vaati scowled, pushing the water away. He didn't need any pity. "No one asked for your opinion." The loss against Sheik three days ago had utterly humiliated him, and Fuu couldn't help but be somewhat bitter towards the other warrior. Besides, Sheik was always showing off, doing everything better than him, saying he wasn't good enough to help save the princess… Hah.

"You can do it faster than I."

At this, Fuu seemed surprised. He hadn't expected Sheik to admit inferiority so frankly. Didn't Sheik have any sort of… any sort of pride? Fuu didn't really get it. The two started walking back to the gates, and Fuu kept a thoughtful quiet until they reached the wooden doors. He glanced up at the castle walls, where Impa had made them run across and onto the roof to start the laps. Sheik had made everything look so easy while he, as much as he didn't want to admit it, clearly struggled every step of the way.

All of this wouldn't have bothered Fuu so much if he hadn't heard about the new attack on the merchants. Normally, he could tell himself he was better, and that he could easily beat Sheik if only he'd had more time. The attack, however, was a reminder that he didn't _have_ more time. Or rather, _they_ didn't, and yet they were wasting time on him. It was nothing but an insult to him for them to pretend that he was actually important.

"I don't get it," he mumbled, and Sheik turned back to look at the other apprentice who was staring at his toes. "Since you're so great at everything already, shouldn't you and Impa just be going out and trying to figure out how to beat Dethl? We're sitting here running around the castle in circles while Dethl continues to attack us. You guys are," he gritted his teeth, finding difficulty saying the words that came next, "wasting time trying to get me to be any good. I don't get it."

Sheik was taken aback, surprised by Fuu's outburst. For the first time since Vaati had been redefined as 'Fuu,' a look of sympathy passed over for a brief moment on Sheik's face. He never realized that Fuu had been taking his loss against him so hard. For the first time, he seemed to be confronted by a normal young man who was struggling with his own insecurities, rather than the inhuman monstrosity that had been Vaati. The confidence had been battered out of him. The edges of Sheik's steeled red eyes softened. "I do not think we are wasting time."

"I can't win at anything against you!" Fuu lashed out, his frustration over the past three days finally spilling forward. After his humiliating defeat against Sheik with the apple challenge, Fuu had been unusually quiet for the next few days of training. Now, the exhaustion of the rigorous three-day training catching up to him, and it seemed that Fuu was at his limit of bottling up his frustrations. "I'm a lousy shot with the bow, I'm half as slow as you at everything, I get tired faster, and I can't even knock a damned apple out of your hands without being made a fool!"

"You can't expect to suddenly be good at something after only three days…" Sheik tried to explain, but this only seemed to make Fuu more upset.

"Exactly!" he snarled, stomping over to Sheik. Fuu hated how the other Sheikah was looking at him with that same stoic gaze. He hated it since the first day he'd met him; it was like Sheik was always hiding something, or making fun of him. "Why waste time on me, when we already have _you?_ You, who can do everything better than I can, and you even know how to use magic." Fuu waited for a response, but when Sheik appeared hesitant to answer, he huffed and stormed past him.

"… It's because you're the only one who can lead us to Dethl."

Fuu stopped in his tracks at the sound of Sheik's voice. He turned around, and saw Sheik drop his bow and quiver on the ground tiredly to go sit against the wall.

Sheik's chest rose and fell, a sigh. He closed his eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were feeling that way. It just didn't occur to me that you would feel that way because…" _Because you were one of the most dangerous individuals Hyrule has ever seen,_ Sheik thought, "because you are extremely talented." He thought back to when he'd told Fuu to stay out of everyone's way, when he'd called him a liability, when he avoided conversation with him, and when he told him he didn't need magic to beat him. He also remembered Impa's warning that he was being too harsh. Sheik couldn't honestly say that his behavior had nothing to do with his anger and resentment towards Vaati, the Sorcerer of Winds. He _was_ angry and resentful. When Twinrova had first suggested that they spare the sorcerer to use as a weapon for themselves, Zelda had disagreed vocally. Vaati had hurt the people she loved. She'd eventually agreed to go through with the plan out of necessity, but she had been wary throughout the entire process. It hadn't helped that Fuu's personality reminded her too much of Vaati's.

But Fuu _wasn't_ Vaati. At least not now. This self-conscious apprentice was just another insecure teen like him who was afraid of being unimportant. And finally, Sheik realized he hadn't been fair to Fuu at all. He smiled to himself at this realization. Fuu took the smile the wrong way.

When Fuu angrily began to walk away, Sheik stopped him. "Do you want to know why I can lap the castle faster than you?"

"I get it already. You're better. I get it," Fuu spat, his hands already on the gate, ready to push it open and leave.

"No. It's because I cheat."

The door creaked slowly. Then, the creaking stopped as Fuu froze, his eyes wide in shock at Sheik's admission. He stared even more at the Sheikah who was shaking his head slowly, chuckling lightly to himself.

"You can be much stronger than I'll ever be," Sheik continued. He moved over when Fuu slowly came walking back to join him. Sheik didn't mention the part that he knew for a fact that Fuu was more powerful than he was, because he knew what Vaati had been capable of. "You can also do things none of us are able to do. Do you remember how you were able to go through the desert dungeon without activating any traps?"

Fuu was sitting next to him now. He seemed to have calmed down, and was thinking over what Sheik had said.

"The dungeons in Hyrule allow you passage, and no one else. There are several of these kinds of dungeons that we've found, but no one has been able to find a way past their doors. For a couple, we've found alternative routes inside, but the dungeons are often filled with traps. Myself, Impa, and Link are the few who can navigate through them, but even then it's never a guarantee that we can get out safely. As for the majority of the dungeons, they have proven to be nearly impossible to go inside." Sheik paused. Next to him, Fuu's eyes widened, realization dawning on his face. "However, _you_ can go through them. We saw that at the desert dungeon. Dethl is most likely hiding in one of them, and we can't find him without you."

Fuu stared at his hands, opening and closing his fingers slowly while confusion furrowed his brows. "Why me?"

At this, Sheik shrugged. "We don't know." It was a lie, of course. The reason why Fuu could go into these dungeons without any trouble because he was their architect, Vaati. But Fuu didn't need to know that.

The pale teen slumped back against the wall, then, staring up at the clouds rolling by above them. He appeared less angry, and now appeared simply tired, like Sheik. He didn't say anything for a while, and the two continued to sit against the wall of the empty training grounds. Eventually, a bird flew by and landed by their feet, unaware that they were there. Fuu tossed a pebble at it, shooing it away.

"I only have memories of being a lousy Sheikah," he said in a low voice. "I don't remember a single mission I completed, I don't remember finishing training, and I don't remember ever being included in anything important. Vaati messed up my head, but I feel like I should have some kind of memory of doing _something_ as a Sheikah if I ever did anything that meant something." He smiled bitterly, tossing another pebble. It hit the first one, centered. "It sucks, you know?" he laughed, "the only real memory I have is the Sheikah mantra that was drilled into our heads, the one that says I should give up my life if it would save the royal family. That, and my name. I don't have any memories of family or friends." Fuu clenched his hands. It was difficult to see what Sheik was thinking, as his face was shadowed and still. "And the more I try to piece my life back together, the more I feel like it wasn't one worth remembering. You and Impa would never have paid attention to me if it weren't for the fact that only I can open these dungeons."

Their eyes met. Sheik tried to hide it but Fuu was too quick, too perceptive. Sheik's brief flash of hesitation in his eyes only confirmed that what he suspected was true; he wasn't needed if it weren't for his unique abilities. "I'm not wrong," Fuu muttered, trying not to sound too disappointed.

Sheik tiredly covered his face with a hand. He didn't really know what to say. What was he supposed to do? Was he actually feeling bad about what they had done to Vaati, now? No, he was getting it all wrong again. He was feeling bad about what they had done to Fuu, not Vaati. A few days ago he would have said that Vaati deserved what had been done to him. But if Fuu was someone else, did he deserve what he was going through now? Who was Vaati, who was Fuu…?

 _What he really needs now is someone to guide him. He needs a friend_.

He stole a glance towards Fuu again, and he thought he understood what Impa meant now. He thought he'd understood her earlier, but after talking to Fuu today, he realized he really hadn't. He hadn't really been seeing Fuu as, well, Fuu.

But… he didn't really know how to be friends with anyone. Link was the one who was good at making friends, not him. As Zelda, she considered Link to be her closest, if not only, friend. As Sheik, Link was one of the extremely few people he exchanged words with on more than one occasion.

How did Zelda become friends with Link? Or perhaps a better question, what would Link do in this situation?

Sheik remembered, then, something Link had said right around the time when Zelda had first met him.

 _Zelda! Here, hold out your hand like this…_

"Hold out your hand," Sheik said to Fuu, who returned a puzzled expression. "Like this, and then follow what I do," Sheik held out his right hand, curled into a sideways fist. Fuu looked confused, and at first it looked like he wasn't going to listen. However, he slowly returned the gesture, holding out his right hand into a similar fist. Without saying a word, Sheik hit Fuu's fist with his from the top, then the bottom, and then they bumped knuckles. At the end, he opened his palms for a firm handshake, which Fuu returned with an increasingly confused frown.

"It's… it's a Sheikah tradition," Sheik lied, averting his gaze when they were done with the secret handshake. "It is a secret message not to be shared lightly."

"A message?" Fuu asked skeptically.

"The Sheikah don't often work with others. They keep to themselves," Sheik said, his confidence returning little by little with every word. He was making all of this up, of course, but how he felt about it was as close to reality as any other truth. "However, at times we must work together, and this handshake is an understanding of that."

"I don't really understand what this means?" Fuu cocked his head, wondering when Sheik was going to let go of his hand.

"It means," Sheik picked his words carefully, so as not to get anything wrong, "that I choose to trust you." He let go, then, and forced himself to look, really look, at Fuu rather than avoid him. "It means that I am sorry that we started off on a bad foot."

Fuu blinked, Sheik's words catching him off guard once again. It was as though he wasn't used to being offered words of kindness. Then again, how could he, when his fake memories didn't have a single instance where someone had been nice to him? After a while, Fuu huffed turning his back away as though he couldn't be bothered. Sheik wondered if he'd messed up somehow, but then he heard a small chuckle. "And that was the second time you were honest with me."

Fuu pushed himself off of the ground, jumping lightly back on to his feet. He appeared a bit more energized now, with a little more life. He walked to the gates leading out of the training grounds, and this time he waited for the other warrior. "You still haven't told me everything," he said as Sheik got up to follow. "How do you cheat running the castle laps?"

Something had changed between them in the last several minutes. Before there had been an invisible cold wall between them both, and the atmosphere had become so antagonistic that it felt like they were both holding their breaths, suffocating. Now the air was clearer, and it was easier to breathe.

For once, Sheik's expression was something other than that cool, stoic, calculated look. His smile was devious behind the cloth that hid his face. "I trust you, but I don't trust you _that_ much."

High up above them, Impa watched her two students with a smile of her own, except it was one of relief. She was glad that she stayed behind for a while before she'd left for her task, to see what Sheik and Fuu would do. She watched Fuu beginning another heated argument with Sheik, but from where she sat on the rooftops she could notice that his voice lacked the bitterness that had been increasing over the course of the past few days. At least for the moment, the poisonous hate and resentment that had been characteristic of Vaati had vanished. Not only that, but the Princess, who had always struggled to open herself up to make friends, seemed to have finally made one. The normally quiet Sheik, often mistaken for being callous, was actually talking back and even laughing from time to time as the two retired back to their own rooms.

As much as Fuu had surprised Sheik, he had surprised Impa as well, who had been observing the entire conversation hidden up on the castle roof. When they had initially agreed to go through with Twinrova's plan to use Vaati as a tool to win against the remaining darkness, she hadn't anticipated that they could perhaps save more than Hyrule. Perhaps they could also save Vaati, or rather, Fuu.

Impa, feeling a little more reassured about leaving Sheik to keep an eye out on Fuu, leapt down from the roof and slid down the castle walls to make her way outside. She'd heard some odd reports regarding the attack that had happened to the merchants. Most troubling was that the report included a description of someone who looked just like Link, which was impossible considering the hero himself was too crippled by his last fight to have participated in the attack.

If the attacker was who she thought it was, it was going to be increasingly important for Fuu to complete training, as well as for him and Sheik to trust each other.

* * *

fleets: Hey thanks for reading! Especially because I don't know how I feel about this chapter. It's not that I don't like it, it just feels kind of meh? Maybe I just feel funny about writing happy things. I don't think my writing style has a whole lot of "the power of love and friendship overcomes evil blah blah rainbows and sparkles etc." and this chapter kind of had that sort of vibe. Or maybe I'm just overthinking things. I had a lot more which got moved to the next chapter because I didn't like where I would have had to break it.

At any rate, I can't wait to build up a happy cute foundation and then smash it into a million pieces. Enjoy the fluff while it lasts.

 **Serpent Tailed Angel:** Yeah that makes sense. I guess I'd forgotten the feeling since I haven't actually started a new story in a long time. As for Link, I was debating about his role in this story, since I didn't want to make this story another Rend or AI copy. Still, I wanted him to be around, and I didn't want him to be so invincible like I used to write him. He got hurt, bad enough to be out of any real fights for a while. He does limp somewhat, but it's not that noticeable now since he's had some time to heal (definitely not where he used to be though).

 **Cattycheeno:** Oh! I guess I didn't make it clear enough with Impa holding the bow, but the one who shot the arrows with the notes was Impa, not Sheik. I like to see Impa as someone who, while quiet, occasionally has a cheeky sense of humor.  
I actually went hunting around for copies of Naruto because of your comment haha

 **Reily96:** I'm actually struggling a little with this the more I progress the story. He's still Vaati, but then I come up with something like this chapter and a part of me can't help but be like "who is this guy and what's he doing in my story?" Bah I'll figure it out. Maybe.  
I never gave much thought to who I thought Sheik was until I was forced to in writing this story. Currently I refer to them as 'he,' just to avoid confusion because other characters address Sheik with a male pronoun, but in terms of whether or not I actually consider him he/she/them/whateverthewhat, same/different as Zelda, I don't know? haha. I guess that's another thing I'll figure out over the course of writing this. Maybe. I still have strong VaaZel biases even though there won't be any pairings in this story, which might affect how I write Sheik and Vaati, but would that make it Vaaeik(? _?_ ) (fleets go to bed...)

 **Flufux** **:** I struggled a little on whether or not to include Link, but I knew I couldn't just write him off since he does exist in this Zeldaverse that I'm currently using. He lost a fight which he'd expected to win, and came out of it injured enough that he wouldn't be able to do any serious fighting any time soon.  
They fixed the review issue! I can see everyone's submission from the main page now. :) And haha no worries! Just hearing that you thought of them made me happy, don't worry if you don't get around to them! (I totally understand that feeling) :)

 **SubZeroChimera:** It's really interesting to read what kinds of themes/ideas people are leaving with when they read a chapter, because I didn't think of pulling the story along in that direction. Now that you mention it, that would've made for some pretty interesting dialogue/plot! I think one thing that bothered me about this chapter was Fuu's fairly open admission that he thought he sucked compared to Sheik, which didn't seem like something Vaati would have done (pre MC, and _definitely_ not post MC). If he'd been the kind of guy who could admit to how he was feeling, I think things wouldn't have been as bad as it had been with Ezlo, because at least there was some kind of communication about problems. I think the situation is different here, though, because the age gap between Sheik and Fuu aren't huge (both late teens in appearance), which changes the dynamic. I'm not sure I was able to justify Fuu's potentially OOC behavior well in the actual chapter though.

 **AquilaMage:** The way I characterize Link, I think he can be friends with just about anybody as long as they haven't done anything obscenely horrible (then he'll kick their butt). Haha yeah that sounds just about right. I don't see Vaati as someone who is very mature. I have an image of him leaving Ezlo's apprenticeship around his teens, and then he got sealed almost immediately afterwards, which means that even though he's old he didn't have a whole lot of growing up to do.

 **Vesperupus:** Hahaha I was hoping someone would get that reference XD I wasn't going to let this story finish without Link making Vaati fail in some kind of way lol  
I have a similar kind of idea as you, but probably more on the lines of dialect rather than completely separate languages (mostly because I played some of my first major Zelda titles in Japanese, and the differences in dialogue sound more along the lines of how Japanese regional dialects differ, rather than language quirks that come from learning English as a second language).  
At the same time, I do like the idea that there are other languages outside of Hylian (e.g. farther out in other kingdoms, for example), and it wouldn't be far fetched to say that the Sheikah might have a language of their own. In that case, Fuu would completely, utterly fail to understand the other Sheikah because what Twinrova did was mostly to get rid of all of his memories and make him remember the core Sheikah ideas. Anything else Fuu remembers were things he accepted as likely memories (my research area actually happens to be in human memory so I really love rambling about this sort of stuff, and writing stories about it)


	6. The Unexpected Visitor

fleets: This chapter. THIS CHAPTER. I was dying to release this chapter. I really enjoyed writing this, I hope you enjoy reading it!

* * *

 **Chapter 6: The Unexpected Visitor**

The next day, it was Fuu's day off. For the first time since arriving back to Hyrule, he would be able to sleep in for as long as he wanted without being rudely woken up for morning training. He had been looking forward to sleeping in, staying in bed past noon, and having the freedom to completely waste his entire day.

At least, that had been the plan, but Fuu was beginning to learn that there was always _something_ that ruined his plans. Around 10 or so in the morning, there was a knock on the door. Fuu, still in bed, opened one eye and peered at the door, thinking he'd misheard. He ignored it, rolling away and pulling the covers back over his head, but then heard another knock on the door, louder this time. He was going to continue to pretend that he wasn't home until he recognized the voice at the door. "Fuu? It's Sheik."

Fuu jolted up from his bed, suddenly wide awake. He glanced at his clock, or where his clock would have been if wasn't broken, and then scowled as he tossed his bedsheets aside angrily. Still in his robes, he stormed towards the door and threw it open, ready to yell at his fellow Sheikah for waking him up on his day off. As soon as the door opened, however, Sheik pushed past him and slammed the door shut, his back pressed against the wall. Instead of his angry tirade, Fuu asked uncertainly, "Uh… Sheik?"

"I need to hide," was the cryptic reply. Sheik peered over to the window from where he was crouching, and then finally relaxed once he saw that the window shades were still closed.

"Mind telling me why you decided to barge into my room this morning?" Fuu asked, a somewhat impatient edge in his voice. He was not a morning person.

"The princess is missing," Sheik replied.

Fuu pulled a blank. He really needed to get used to Sheik surprising him. _O…k…?_ he thought. Instead, he repeated slowly, "The princess is missing and you need to hide."

Fuu wasn't sure if he should laugh or be concerned by the look Sheik had on his face. He'd never seen the normally composed warrior appear so flustered and frazzled. It was similar to the expression of a dog who was caught eating food off the table. By now Sheik would have normally given a reply, but instead he seemed like he'd completely lost all capability of speech.

Fuu helped him out. "Sooo shouldn't we be looking for her?" he asked, thinking that there wasn't enough panicking given what sounded like an extremely urgent situation.

Sheik finally pulled himself together. The focused gleam in his red eyes returned, and he stood up. "She's fine. I know where she is."

"But didn't you just say-"

"She doesn't want to be found, I'm supposed to help look for her, and I left my post so now Impa's looking for me," Sheik explained quickly. The truth of it was that Princess Zelda was supposed to go to a socialite meeting which she found to be a waste of time, and had snuck out of the castle as Sheik, causing an uproar. While the decoy could substitute for her just to have some kind of presence in the castle, the decoy couldn't take her place in large public meetings that involved speaking to people who knew her.

Fuu seemed skeptical, but he was more worried now about Sheik going through his things. Once again, he was interrupted before he could protest. Some spare clothes from his closet were thrown his way.

"I can't sneak past Impa without help. I need you to distract her," Sheik said. Fuu looked down at the clothes in his hands as Sheik motioned for him to get changed. Again, before he could get a word of his opinion, Sheik had disappeared into the washroom with some more clothes he'd found in Fuu's closet. At this point, Fuu had completely given up trying to argue, and started to change into his clothes, muttering under his breath.

"I was _really_ looking forward to my day off but _of course_ things can never go my way." He slipped into the long sleeve undershirt, and then pulled the rusty red tunic over his head. As Fuu put some boots on, Sheik came out of the washroom dressed in a similar outfit, except in a dusty blue one. His head was covered somewhat by the liripipe hood that shielded his eyes.

Sheik glanced nervously at the covered window again, as though Impa would come through it at any moment. "Ready?" he asked Fuu.

"Wait," Fuu held up a hand. "I still don't understand what's going on here, and I'm not helping until I do. Why doesn't the princess want to be found and why are you helping her, against Impa?"

Sheik glanced at the window impatiently. With a somewhat irritated sigh, he said quietly, "Impa thinks she knows what's best for the Princess, and she does, most of the time. The Princess appreciates it. But sometimes," he shook his head, "she doesn't understand that the Princess feels stifled. She wants to have a day off."

Fuu's lips flattened, still not convinced. "You sure know a lot about how the Princess is feeling," he observed. He heaved a sigh, not noticing the momentary panic on Sheik's face, thinking Fuu had figured out his identity. Fuu pinched the bridge of his nose, crinkled in annoyance, before he finally threw both hands up in the air and turned towards Sheik. "You really think I can distract Impa," he said flatly, "your idea is going to get us both in trouble, and I really don't want to do additional castle laps as punishment because of you."

"Unfortunately we don't have a whole lot of time to think of alternatives," Sheik said, hiding his relief that Fuu hadn't figured out that he was actually Zelda. "I wouldn't be surprised if Impa finds me here within the next few minutes."

"Please," Fuu snorted, "and to think I was upset that I thought you were more capable than me yesterday." He stretched his arms, and then brushed back some of his hair that was still somewhat messy after having just woken up out of bed. He wiggled his fingers experimentally, and then snapped his fingers. The robes he'd been wearing earlier, which he'd tossed aside on the floor, vanished from thin air. "That's enough warm up, I think," he grinned. He flashed a devious smile towards Sheik, who was watching him uncertainly. "Hey, do you want to see what I learned how to do last night?"

Sheik didn't really want to, but Fuu's grin said he didn't have a choice.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Dang, I'm good."

Fuu looked around proudly, while Sheik was tense all over after teleporting out of Fuu's house to some part of Castle Town. It took a moment to recognize where they were. The two of them in the middle of one of the main paths, right in front of a cookshop. It wasn't incredibly busy, and the few people who had been walking about gave the two Sheikah strange looks; after all, it wasn't every day that people suddenly materialized in the middle of the street. "That trick of yours attracted more attention than to help me hide," Sheik noted the stares.

"We don't care about those people. We only care about Impa finding you," Fuu scoffed.

"How did you learn how to do magic like that?" Sheik asked, beginning to walk ahead quickly to avoid the public eye, "And let's keep walking," he added when he noticed Fuu was still standing around in front of the cookshop. The former sorcerer seemed to be taking his time going through the food that was available for sale.

Fuu waved his hand at Sheik, disregarding the blonde's urgency to leave. "Oh, I pick it up naturally. I can't really explain it, I can just _see_ spells. I've been seeing more after we left the desert temple." He called over the cook who had been waiting somewhat impatiently for Fuu to either leave or order something. "Are you going to eat anything?" Fuu asked as he paid a few rupees in exchange for an egg on toast.

For a moment Sheik looked like he was going to refuse and drag Fuu away to somewhere with less people. However, his expression brightened when he realized where they were. Sheik was here, in the middle of Castle Town, without anyone supervising him or telling him where he should and shouldn't go. Zelda had never really been allowed to run off out of the castle freely without the supervision of Impa. Her daily routine was either filled with meetings with other high class citizens and nobles, or training. In her spare time, she wasn't so much as prohibited from mingling with the commoners but heavily discouraged. Curiosity overcame Sheik, and he sheepishly made his way towards Fuu and ordered some breakfast of his own.

While Sheik observed the piece of toast in his hands with a sort of wonderment, Fuu craned his neck to find a roof he liked. He finally found one with a tiny angle, not too steep, but with just the right amount of angle for it to be comfortable to sit on. With a swirl of his hand, he warped the both of them up on the roof.

"Can you warn me before you do that?" Sheik grumbled after nearly falling off the edge in surprise from abruptly finding the change in scenery.

Fuu shrugged, grinning. He enjoyed seeing Sheik without his usual cool for once. "Eh, I guess so." He made himself comfortable on the roof to eat, and Sheik did the same. Fuu glanced over at Sheik who was staring out at the view of the town with wonderment. "So you really don't know how to teleport like this?" he asked.

"I do, but not as far as you are able to, and it is much harder for me to teleport other people with me," Sheik said, taking a bite out of the bread in his hand and appreciating the fact that he didn't have to eat with any high-class table manners today. He tossed some extra breadcrumbs to the pigeons that were waddling on the roof next to them. Sheik rolled his eyes when a burst of wind sent them flying away in a fright.

"Interesting," Fuu shook his wrists after casting the small wind spell, "So you don't _see_ the spells like I do?" He summoned an energy sphere in his palm, and then shot it up in the sky where it climbed higher until it disappeared into the clouds.

"Most people don't," Sheik answered, shaking his head somewhat at Fuu's liberal use of magic. "In fact, magic is extremely rare and few people have an affinity to it. It often takes years of rigorous study to have the level of control that you have with your magic."

Fuu brushed the breadcrumbs from his hands and leaned back against the brick tiles that were warm from the sun. He held a hand up to the air, looking at it thoughtfully, "I feel like I've always known how to use spells," he said after a while, "Maybe I just can't remember it well because, well, my memory problems…" He squinted, slowly closing his fingers. Then, he spun his hand in a small circle, making the breeze swirl a little. Sheik watched him create small swirls of wind, thinking about how quickly Fuu was picking up on magic on his own. Twinrova had assumed he wouldn't be able to remember most of his sorcery, but perhaps in Fuu's case magic wasn't something that had been learned, but ingrained. Whether or not Vaati was a human, demon, monster, or some miscellaneous creature was vague in the history books, but demon magic was supposedly more instinctual rather than learned. Hopefully Fuu's skills wouldn't be too much trouble. "I feel alive when I cast spells," Fuu continued, "like it's not just a skill but it's a part of who I am. I want to rediscover more spells.

Sheik nodded. "You were quite talented with magic." _A little TOO talented._

The two of them watched the people passing by on the streets for a while longer. As time passed, more and more people appeared until there was a steady bustle. Few people noticed the two teens sitting up on the roofs.

"Vaati was a powerful sorcerer, wasn't he?"

Sheik looked away from the crowd of people below them, and noticed Fuu had that pensive gaze when he was piecing together some kind of idea in his head. Over the few days Sheik had known Fuu, he noticed that the former sorcerer was very interested about Vaati, most likely because he believed that the wind mage was the one who had "messed up" his memory. "Vaati wasn't human. He was a monster," Sheik said dismissively. He still felt uncomfortable talking about Fuu's other past.

Not one to be dissuaded so quickly, Fuu pursued the topic, "Tell me more about him; the sorcerer that almost destroyed Hyrule."

However, Sheik was just as stubborn. "I do not like speaking about him," he waved Fuu's question away with a hand, "Besides, that creature is dead."

Fuu sighed with a somewhat disappointed frown. He charged another energy sphere in his palm and shot it up in the air. This time, it crackled like a firecracker in the sky, causing some people below to look up, startled. "I want to become powerful with magic. I want to become the most powerful person in the world," he muttered. Then he flashed a grin towards Sheik. "Maybe I already am and I just don't know it yet."

Sheik rolled his eyes, "And here I thought you'd learned a thing or two about humility when I beat you three days ago."

"If I was that powerful though," Fuu pressed, rolling himself over to his stomach. There was a sly glimmer in his red eyes as he said boldly, "I could save the princess from anything."

Sheik was taken aback, then, by Fuu's confident determination to protect the princess. He wondered if this determination had something to do with Twinrova's meddling, since their plan had been to brainwash Vaati into thinking he was a loyal Sheikah. However, it was still flattering to hear such a confident declaration, and Sheik had to turn away to hide his face, reddening from embarrassment. If Fuu knew that Sheik was actually Princess Zelda…

A familiar, stern voice, made both students spring up to attention. "If you want to know how to protect the princess you might do well to learn how to lie low, first." Impa towered over them, and she didn't look very impressed with her arms crossed over her chest, a finger tapping her arm disapprovingly. Fuu and Sheik shrunk back away from the older Sheikah who had snuck up behind them. They had gotten distracted from food and conversation, and had forgotten that they were being tracked by one of the best agents of Hyrule. "Sitting completely out in the open and shooting off magical flares… If I didn't know any better, I would have thought you wanted to be found."

Fuu flinched and he grimaced; he hadn't thought about the energy spheres he'd been carelessly shooting up into the air. He cautiously stole a glance towards Sheik, who had his head hanging miserably.

"Fuu, I will speak with you later," Impa sighed, "Sheik, I need you to cooperate to find the princess. Her absence is causing quite an uproar."

"Yes Impa…" he mumbled quietly.

It was the first time that Fuu saw Sheik look so beaten, and the look on the blonde's face couldn't help but make him feel a little sorry for him. As they slowly followed Impa with slouched shoulders, Fuu held out a hand, his fingers curled into a fist. "Next time," he said, grinning.

Sheik looked at the offered fist blankly, and then he broke out laughing as he bumped it with his own. Thee three left for the castle together, and the voice of Impa fervently explaining that there won't _be_ a next time could be heard from the streets below.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Fuu returned to his quarters in the refurbished barracks within Hyrule Castle while Impa spoke with Sheik. He was a little annoyed that Impa ordered him to stay within Hyrule Castle until she came to talk to him about aiding Sheik disobey orders; this was his day off, it wasn't even noon yet, and he wasn't allowed to leave to go anywhere interesting. Of course it was his own fault for getting in trouble, but still. It was annoying.

Fuu expected a rather boring rest of the day. What Fuu should have realized by now was that things rarely went the way he thought they would go. As soon as he opened the door and walked inside his quarters, he had a feeling that someone else had been there. Or rather, someone else was _still_ there.

His hands moving towards the dagger he kept with him at all times around his waist, he cautiously stepped inside while he let his eyes adjust. He tensed when he saw the silhouette of a person sitting in the middle of his bed. The silhouette waved.

"Hiya!" The person said cheerfully.

Fuu recognized the voice, and he relaxed just a tiny bit. "Link?" No sooner as he said that, he realized that while the person was disquietingly similar to the hero, he was not Link. The stranger's hair was a dark black, almost violet in color, and his skin was also a dark tan. However, it was not brown like the skin of the desert people – it seemed as though a shadow dulled his skin from within, if such a thing were possible. His clothes were exactly what Fuu had seen Link wearing a few days ago, only they were black rather than green.

"That joke isn't very funny," the Link doppelganger huffed, "Just because half my name is the same as stupid Link's doesn't mean you can suddenly leave out _Shadow_."

 _Shadow Link?_ Fuu didn't know who this "Shadow Link" was, but it sounded as though the other knew him. Fuu kept one hand on the hilt of his dagger while Shadow babbled on.

"Anyways, I _finally_ made it here. If y'all hadn't gone to distract that tall scary Sheikah by having her look all over for you, I probably wouldn't have made it inside the castle." Shadow flopped backwards across the bed, his arms dangling off the edge lazily. "But y'all were so slow! Do you have any idea how boring it was, waiting for you to come back? If you hadn't shown up when you did, I might have blown this place up out of boredom."

Fuu's grip on his dagger tightened. He didn't know what to make of Shadow Link, but there was a dangerous, unstable gleam in his ice blue eyes that made him uneasy. He decided to play along, for now, to find out more about him. "What do you want, Shadow?" he asked.

At this, Shadow beamed brightly. "What do you mean?" he snickered, "I came back as a faithful servant should," his grin was wide from ear to ear, "Master Vaati."

* * *

fleets: Let's start some trouble! :D Shadow's going to make writing this story a whole lot harder, but I am really excited to be finally writing this guy in after his absence from my stories for... jeeze way too long (last appearance was in The Unresolved yeesh). He's based off of FSA manga Shadow, and he's not to be confused with Dark Link.

Thank you so much for reading!

 **SubZeroChimera:** Relieved to hear you agree on that (I'll still have to get used to writing him 'friendly' though oy). And ohhhhh yeah that is definitely another chapter milestone that I cannot _wait_ to get to. :D

 **Lord Siravant:** SAME. Shadow might cause some trouble, but Dethl is a catastrophe :D

 **AquilaMage:** Relieved to hear that! I do characterize Vaati in a way that suggests he wasn't awful to begin with, but I wasn't sure if I presented that in an o.k. way this time (sounds like it wasn't too weird though). Haha we'll get to the cheating Sheik at some point XD And YESSSS SHADOW I am so excited to be finally writing him now, he's going to cause all sorts of trouble.

 **Flufux:** Oh he's on the loose. He is definitely on the loose and I am so excited to finally have him in the story to shake up the peace a little :D And aww thank you so much! It is much appreciated Flufux, thank you for always being here :)


	7. Shadow Link

fleets: Well I'm still somehow chugging along with these chapters (miracle?). I hope you guys are enjoying the fast updates! It's been a really long time since I've been able to keep a schedule like this... (this is abnormal and this speed should not be expected for future updates hahaha)

* * *

 **Chapter 7: Shadow Link**

"Master Vaati."

Fuu almost dropped the dagger in his hand as he stared at Shadow Link grinning at him from his bed. _What?_ He turned over his shoulder, wondering if the infamous Sorcerer of Winds had risen from the grave and was standing behind him. There was no one there.

Shadow Link rolled over and then rested his chin on his hands, arching an eyebrow at the puzzled Fuu. "I expected more of uh… I don't know, a more excited reaction than that, Master."

Fuu turned back to Shadow, and then slowly pointed a finger at himself. "Me?" he asked incredulously.

Shadow Link stared back, looking surprised. After a few seconds, he slapped his hand over his face and shook his head in aggravation. "Wow. _Wow_. Master Vaati I know you think I'm an idiot but sometimes I feel like you belittle me a little too much. So can you please," Shadow bounced on the bed, making himself comfortable, "let me in on your plans? You clearly have an amazing plan rolling with an amazing disguise, and I hate that you're leaving me out of it."

"Get off my bed," Fuu snapped, getting irritated by Shadow Link hopping around on his bed. He could see a mud splotch on the blanket from where some dirt from Shadow Link's boots had rubbed on. Shadow Link didn't seem to mind in the least about getting nagged at, and in fact seemed to have expected the reaction from the way he snickered and flipped off the bed. The doppelganger then hovered in midair, reclining against an invisible wall.

"Seriously though. You somehow got those Sheikahs to trust you so much that you can walk around anywhere in Hyrule Castle without any trouble. I always did like your grandstanding, flashy style, but this new, manipulative tactic is fantastic," Shadow flashed a thumbs-up.

"Were you always this big of an ass-kisser?" Fuu asked. He'd always imagined Vaati's minions to be more… quiet. At the same time, he imagined that ordering someone like Shadow Link to shut up wasn't going to be all that effective. At this point, Fuu didn't really know what to think. Vaati's former minion was in his house, and had mistaken him as wind mage himself. His first thought was that he should probably capture him and then report him to Impa. He was also intrigued as to why Shadow Link had mistaken him for Vaati. After all, Vaati was dead, wasn't he? Had the news never reached Shadow Link?

As strange as Fuu found Shadow Link, Shadow Link's cheery grin was beginning to disappear as he, too, became suspicious about the situation. "… Huh. I expected some kind of speech about how great you are," he said slowly, sitting upright. He gradually floated back down to the floor so that he was no longer hovering in midair. He took a closer step towards Fuu, leaning forward and scrunching his nose as he got a better look at the Sheikah apprentice.

Fuu, worried that Shadow Link was going to find out eventually that he wasn't actually Vaati, threw out his leg for a swift leg-sweep, knocking Shadow Link over. For good measure, he also fired a powerful gust of magic, causing the windows to shatter from the force and sending Shadow Link crashing into the wall on the other side. Before Shadow could recover, Fuu dashed over and pinned him down under his knee, and then quickly tied his hands behind his back with a belt that had tumbled out of the closet. Fuu had been quick to pick up on the leg-sweep knockdown after Sheik had used it on him repeatedly a few days ago.

"Ow!" Shadow yelped, his cheeks pressed against the wood floor. He'd been about to complain some more, until he came face to face with the blade of a sharp dagger. His eyes followed the blade that then slowly pressed against his neck.

"A shame for you that you didn't realize sooner that you'd mistaken me for someone else," Fuu said coolly, "Sounds like you didn't get the news that Vaati is dead."

"What? _!"_ Shadow exclaimed. He tried to wiggle out of his binds, but Fuu kept him pinned down with a knee in his ribs. "But… but that's impossible! You're him. You have to be-"

"Why?" Fuu demanded.

"What do you mean, ' _Why_ ,' you look exactly like him!" Shadow Link shot. He winced when Fuu pressed the dagger against his neck a little deeper.

"How dare you compare me to the one who tried to destroy Hyrule," Fuu growled, "I live to serve the royal family, I am nothing like him. I've been a Sheikah all my life: you have the wrong person."

"But you _have_ to be him! You have to be because you have… you…" Shadow Link trailed off, his eyes widening as though he'd realized something important. He stopped struggling, and he stilled as he became lost in his thoughts for a few seconds. A million possibilities ran through Shadow Link's head. Then, that smile that had vanished earlier reappeared again, small at first but gradually widening until it was like a sinister crescent. "Huh," he murmured, "Oh I get it. Hehehe I see what's going on."

Kneeling above him, Fuu clenched the dagger tighter, wondering what Shadow Link was up to.

"Vaati's _dead_ , huh?" Shadow Link chuckled. His blue eyes swerved up to look at Fuu. Still grinning, he began to speak in a way that didn't sound entirely trustworthy. "Look, I made a mistake," he began, grimacing only slightly when Fuu "accidentally" jabbed him a little with the dagger, "I am really, really sorry, and I know you're not just going to let me go but can you at least hear me out?"

"I don't know," Fuu drawled lazily, though his expression was frigidly calculating, "I was thinking about killing you right here since you're a former agent of Vaati."

At this Shadow Link glowered unhappily. "Holy Farore, can you just chill the fuck out please? I was going to offer you some inside information on how to defeat Dethl and I can't do that if I'm dead!"

At Shadow Link's mention of aid against Dethl, Fuu hesitated. However, he eventually decided that he wasn't having any of his nonsense. "And why would you do that?" he asked, "You used to work for Vaati and Dethl, why would you betray them now?"

At this, Shadow Link gave a heavy sigh, turning his gaze back to the floor boards inches away from his nose. "Look, I was Vaati's servant okay? To be more accurate, he summoned me to this world, which technically makes him something like my dad but that's _weird_ so I was his servant, okay? I had no choice but to listen to everything he told me to do." Fuu wasn't sure if Shadow Link was being genuine or not, but it was a fairly convincing act. The mysterious Link-lookalike actually sounded ashamed, almost, from the way his shoulders drooped a little. "It _sucked!"_ Shadow exclaimed, "I can't tell you how much I wanted to be rid of him. He always had this awful temper and he got angry over everything. But apparently he's dead, which means that I'm free and I can do whatever I want now."

Fuu contemplated Shadow Link's words, trying to determine if he was being honest or not. "Why did you bother looking for Vaati? Couldn't you just leave?" he asked, pointing out how Shadow Link had come to him, first. At this, Shadow Link laughed bitterly.

"You can't be serious," he snorted, "You can't run from Vaati. No one can. If I don't report to him first, he would get angry, angrier than usual and…" he stopped, and then he scowled, snapping angrily, "The point is, I couldn't 'just leave.'"

"But why would you betray Dethl? You could still be working with him," Fuu argued. He couldn't shake the feeling that Shadow was trying to appeal to his pity, to make him feel sorry for him so he would let him go. Or was he being too paranoid, and missing the truth? What if Shadow Link really was willing to turn against his former Masters?

"Fine, I get why you would be paranoid," Shadow Link grumbled, and then flashed a bright smile, "The reason is simple: I like you."

"Now I _definitely_ know you're lying."

"It's the truth!" the doppelganger asserted. "I've been watching you since you came to the desert temple: you're like… the cooler version of Vaati. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Vaati's summoning spell inevitably links me to him, and that you and Vaati have a similar aura or something I don't know. I find you interesting, and I feel compelled to help you," he shrugged. Or, tried to shrug, since Fuu had him pinned to the floor quite well. "I also don't give a damned about Dethl because they give me the creeps and they yelled at me for listening to music too loudly. Give me a chance, yeah?"

Fuu scoffed. He'd had enough of Shadow Link's story, which was most likely twenty percent truth and eighty percent bullshit. There was no need to complicate things when the easiest answer was to get rid of him. "Nope. You're lying. I'm going to kill you and tell Impa that you were dead when I found yo-"

"Go to Lake Hylia. Down at the bottom of the lake you'll find the first of what you'll need to beat Dethl. Without it, y'all don't stand a chance against him."

Fuu fell silent as he processed what Shadow Link had just said. He lifted the dagger away from Shadow Link's neck a little, but he still kept it close as a warning. Besides, he didn't really like that knowing grin on the other's face, as though he'd picked the winning slip in the Treasure Chest lottery. "What's down there?" Fuu asked, trying not to sound too interested.

The way Shadow Link chuckled suggested that he knew he'd caught Fuu's interest. "I promise to tell you, as well as help you collect the rest of the pieces that you will need to defeat Dethl, but only after you let me go."

"Or maybe we'll send you over to the Dark Temple for some quality interrogation," Fuu shot.

"Or maybe you'll let me help you get all of the pieces to beat Dethl because tick tock," Shadow Link tutted, pointing at the broken heap of gears and cogs that had once been Fuu's clock, "ya'll are running out of time, aren'tcha? Trust me, it'll be faster if I help you."

All was still in the house except for the faint noise of breathing and the light patter of water dripping from the faucet in the washroom. Fuu's hands shook slightly, and for a few brief seconds it almost seemed as though he was going to plunge the dagger into Shadow Link's neck. However, he eventually placed the weapon back in its hilt and slowly released pressure off of Shadow Link's back. He still kept the belt tied tightly around the doppelganger's wrist, just in case. Wordlessly, Fuu found some more rope and tied Shadow Link to a chair.

"Hey, I appreciate how you decided not to kill me Master Va- I mean… what is your name again?" Shadow Link asked, happy that he was no longer trapped against the uncomfortably hard floor and that Fuu had decided not to kill him.

"Gufuu. Fuu for short," Fuu muttered under his breath, pulling on the ropes to make sure the knots were extra tight.

"Gotcha, pal."

"I _can_ still make you quiet in a permanent kind of way, you know."

At this Shadow rolled his eyes, mumbling out of earshot, "And I thought you were the 'cooler' Vaati."

Fuu stood up after he'd finished tying Shadow Link to the chair. With his wrists wrapped together with a belt and his entire body roped completely together with the chair, there was little probability that Vaati's former servant was going to get out any time soon. Fuu shook his head tiredly, wondering what he'd done to deserve this mess, and then made for the door. "I'll be back soon," he said with toned that warned Shadow Link to stay put.

Shadow Link watched the door close shut after Fuu. The chuckle that he'd been suppressing finally broke free, and he wheezed and coughed from laughter. His form melted away into a black cloud, and the ropes that had held him to the chair fell loosely to the floor. The cloud melted into the shadow by the foot of the chair so that there was a large black shadow on the floor. It scooted away before it rematerialized into Shadow Link, now completely free of his binds. "Hahahahaha! I love it when they think they can restrain a shadow with ropes," he laughed. He took a few seconds to find a piece of paper and quill, and then quickly jotted down a few parting letters to Fuu for when he returned. He wished he could see the look on Fuu's face when he realized he'd left. "I'll see you at Lake Hylia, _Fuu_ ," the shadow snickered, "Don't be late."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Fuu needed to find Sheik. Or Impa. He preferred Sheik over Impa because he'd just gotten in trouble with Impa and he'd rather speak with Sheik. He vaguely remembered Impa telling Sheik to meet her back at the castle, so he figured he would be able to find either of them inside. As he made his way to the greater courtyard to the front gates of the main castle structure, he couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious about what he was wearing: he was still dressed in his casual outfit, the plain weathered brown tunic rather than his Sheikah uniform, and he had never set foot inside the actual royal castle before as far as he could remember.

As he approached the gates, the two guards keeping watch blocked his path with their pikes. "What business do you have?" one of them asked, looking at the teen with an unimpressed expression. The guard wondered how a commoner like him had gotten through past the guards at the main gate of the outer wall.

"I need to speak with Sheik. Or Impa," Fuu said hurriedly.

The guards exchanged glances with each other. "Never heard of Sheik," the first one said, and the second one nodded in affirmation. "And it looked like Impa was busy at the moment. She was trying to find the princess earlier and she hasn't come through here in a while."

Fuu groaned. No doubt Sheik and Impa had decided not to use the main doors. "Ok, well I'm pretty sure they're back at the castle and I really need to speak to them. It's an emergency."

The guard shook his head apologetically. "I'm sorry kid, we can't let you in unless you have an official appointment here. We can pass word along to Impa the next time we see her, though? What's the emergency?"

Fuu bit his lip, frustrated. He couldn't just tell these guards that Shadow Link had mistaken him for Vaati and was currently sitting tied up in his house. These guards were flighty: there was a high risk that they would misunderstand what he was saying and think it would be a good idea to keep him temporarily detained as well. No, he needed to tell Sheik or Impa directly. "Just tell her or Sheik that I was looking for them, and that it's urgent," he said. Then, he ran off to find a way to reach Sheik on his own.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

About an hour later, Princess Zelda was in her room, still somewhat upset that she'd been caught by Impa. Her guardian had given her a short lecture, but thankfully she'd been allowed to skip the meeting she'd been supposed to attend. She would have been much too late to attend it by the time she'd returned to the castle, and the best course of action had been to tell the nobles that she'd been feeling unwell and needed to rest: to be fair, that explanation wasn't too far from the truth. Not even two weeks had passed since the final battle against Vaati, and since then she'd been on edge trying to keep Fuu under a tight watch. She picked up a book she'd been reading and walked over to sit by the window. She glanced at the door, feeling somewhat guilty that Impa was now tasked with doing damage control for her irresponsible escape from her duties. When Impa came back, she would be sure to thank her repeatedly, and perhaps send in a special order to Smith for a new set of daggers made specifically for Impa, since the daggers she owned were beginning to age.

Zelda turned the pages of her book, noting briefly how nice it was to have clean, untapped fingers again. As fun as it could be to run around as Sheik, she also enjoyed a quiet afternoon in her own room, undisturbed by anyone and with a good book and hot tea to keep her company.

She reached for the tea that the castle servants had set aside for her. As she did so, something out the window caught her eye. She nearly spilled the tea all over the floor when she saw what it was.

It was Fuu. He had made his way up to the roofs of the main castle building. He appeared extremely suspicious, from the way he went from one window to the next, peeking in as though looking for something.

"Oh for Din's sake… Doesn't he have anything better to do?" Zelda sighed, standing up again and casting a disappointed look towards the tea and her book. It didn't seem like she could have that relaxing afternoon after all, even after all of the effort Impa had gone to after giving her a scolding. She opened the little drawer in her desk and picked up one of a dozen or so stones inside. The stone was a light, crystal pink, and it glowed when she tapped it. "Agnes, I need you to take my place again. If you see Impa, let her know that I had to leave but that I will be back briefly," she said, and then she put it back in the drawer before locking it with a key. Then, with a bright flash of magic, Sheik took the place of Princess Zelda. He peered out the window again, shaking his head at Fuu who was determinedly making his way from one window to the next as though on a mission.

Sheik flicked open the lock and pushed his window open. He jumped gracefully down onto the roof below, the tiles chipped and cracked indicating that he'd done this many times before, and then he jumped across to the next set of blue roofs. He teleported a short distance towards the area where Fuu was, and he eventually managed to sneak up on the other Sheikah who was too busy looking into windows to notice. "Trying to get a look at the ladies?" He asked when he finally reached Fuu. Fuu, startled, nearly fell from the wall that he'd been climbing below.

Fuu looked above where Sheik was crouching on a perch, and he shook a fist angrily. "What? No! I was looking for you." He let go of the wall, and then he vanished before he reappeared next to Sheik with a swirl of magic. Without explaining what was going on, he grabbed Sheik's wrist. "Come on, we need to go."

"Go where?" Sheik had been about to ask, but before he knew what was happening he found himself not on the Hyrule Castle rooftops but back in front of Fuu's house. _Phew, Fuu's getting better at teleporting: I barely noticed that he'd cast a spell..._ Catching his balance, he rounded on Fuu. "Fuu, what's going on?" However, Fuu had already disappeared into his house. He followed after him, and once inside he saw Fuu standing frozen in the middle of the room as though petrified. Sheik observed that there was something funny going on, especially the chair next to Fuu's bed with a lot of rope pooled around its feet as though someone had once been tied up but had escaped. He had a bad feeling about this. "What happened here after we parted?" Fuu had found a note on top of the chair, and was muttering curses under his breath.

"Goddesses damned it how could he have escaped?" Fuu scowled, crumpling up the note and tossing it aside.

"Who?" Sheik asked, picking up the note that Fuu had tossed away and opening it up. The note itself was not frightening in the least, and all it said was the following: _Come to Lake Hylia, alone, before I change my mind._ However, the signature below it caused a sinking feeling in Sheik's chest. He recognized the name, and he remembered all of the terrible things it was associated with. "Shadow Link," he murmured, reading the name aloud. Allegedly Vaati's closest henchman, the shadow had been responsible for blowing up dozens of bridges and trade routes to cut off remote villages, starving them slowly to death. His actions caused the blame to fall on Link for several weeks before they could finally figure out what was going on, but by then the damage had been done: the villages far from the central kingdom had been targeted as they were more likely to pick up on any falsified rumors that the hero was sabotaging them. Mistrust of Hyrule Proper was still high in some of these targeted villages thanks to Shadow Link.

And then there was that one close encounter, when Shadow Link had encountered Princess Zelda while she'd been travelling out on the road. They'd gotten into a fight, which she'd eventually won with the help of Impa… In fact, that was when they'd first confirmed that Link had a doppelganger running about causing trouble.

"We need to let Impa know what happened," Sheik said, alarmed.

"No," Fuu took Sheik by the wrist again and led them out the door. "We'll lose too much time if we do that. We need to find him."

Sheik's voice rose, and he became slightly panicked. He didn't know what kind of conversation Fuu had with Shadow Link, but he couldn't let the two of them come in contact any more. There was a dangerously high risk that Shadow Link would figure out Fuu's real identity (if he hadn't figured it out already), which would potentially lead to Fuu figuring out what had really happened to his memories. "This is too dangerous for you. I'll handle it with Impa-"

"No," Fuu cut him short as he narrowed his eyes. "I'm tired of being left out of things. You go find Impa if you want to, but I'm going after Shadow Link."

Sheik wavered. While he could try to immobilize and stop Fuu like he had done at the desert temple, doing so would only break the still-fragile trust that had begun to grow over the past few days. It didn't help that, logically, Fuu was right: going after Shadow Link was top priority, and if Sheik wanted to find Impa then someone else (Fuu) should be going after Shadow. Sheik gritted his teeth, and then pushed past Fuu, making a run towards Lake Hylia. Between the choices he had, leaving Fuu alone with Shadow Link was the most dangerous option: he had no other choice than to follow Fuu to the lake. "Let's go."

* * *

fleets: As exciting as it would have been for Fuu to suddenly realize he's really mega terror sorcerer, that would have accelerated the story so much that it would have been boring. As it stands, this story will probably be... oh i don't know, maybe around 20+ chapters or so. We have a lot more crazies to cover first.  
I realized that a few readers weren't familiar with FSA manga Shadow Link. If you're curious as to what he's like as a character, you'll probably get a good impression of him by googling 'shadow link manga' and looking at the images.  
So what's Shadow Link up to, huh? Wish I could say more but that would be oh so many spoilers and I do like my twists to stay extra twisty.

Also while I was getting a grip on the characters for this story, I really ended up liking the idea that Dethl hates music of any kind (because of what happens in Link's Awakening, for those of you who aren't familiar with that game) while Shadow likes listening to a good tune every now and then.

Well not much else to say. Thank you again for checking this out! :D

 **Scarlet Firesong:** Hahaha things are going to get a little rough now, that's for sure XD

 **SubZeroChimera:** Glad you liked it :D Aaaand the shit just keeps getting shittier. Poor Impa. FFffff I have so much to say about Shadow Link but he's such a walking talking spoiler machine D:

 **Serpent Tailed Angel:** I'm glad you said that, since one of my worries was that this story was going to be too similar in concept to either Rend or AI. Now that I'm writing more of him, though, Fuu does feel very different to write than Gale. He's a little more heroic and innocent-ish? And yesss Shadow Link! I enjoyed writing him way back when he appeared in TU oh so oh so long ago. Thank you so much for your comments!

 **Cattycheeno:** Haha yeah I did sneak in an teeny tiny VaaZel there :P And Shadow is great! He's not very interesting in the games (aside from the mischievous laugh followed by some kind of epic bomb threat), but I liked his personality that was depicted in the FSA manga. Hopefully I can represent it accurately here :)

 **Flufux:** Shadow Link is one of my favorite characters, especially how he was represented in the FSA manga. And hahaha that's fantastic XD I always thought of him with a bit of a drawl (in the manga he says y'all) but I kind of like the british version now that you bring it up.  
And yes for trouble! It wasn't quite complicated enough yet, so we needed Shadow Link to fix that :P

 **Lord Siravant:** You got that right for sure XD

 **AquilaMage:** The "see magic" thing will come into play again later :) And yup, he still wants to be the best haha. I'm pretty excited about Shadow Link's role too!

 **Sorceress V:** Shadow Link is here to bring in a whole new set of trouble :D Thank you!

 **Vesperupus:** Hahaha you predicted it right, the answer is they both got confused XD The question now is how much Shadow Link figured out regarding what happened :3  
And thanks! This iteration of Zelda is slightly different than the Zelda I wrote in WIR and FaV (the WIR Zelda took her duties a little more seriously than Demonbound Zellie).


	8. The Water Temple

fleets: I'm at my ALL-TIME record (I think) of submitting 8 chapters a day (almost - I think I skipped one) in a row! Yes!  
Not much to say other than the fact that I am extremely tired now hahaha

* * *

 **Chapter 8: The Water Temple**

It was just past noon when Sheik and Fuu made it to Lake Hylia. It was a warm summer day, and there were some people fishing from little canoes and children swimming on the shores. It was not immediately obvious where Shadow Link could have been, and Fuu wished he'd had a better idea of where to look for him rather than "Lake Hylia." The lake was fairly expansive and there were plenty of places to hide: Fuu could see small caves in the canyon walls that cradled the lake as well as a few islets in the middle. While it seemed as though there had once been bridges that linked the islets together, only the rotting wood of the broken beams remained, and they stuck out of the water like pillars. Sheik and Fuu made their way down the rocky slope that led down the cliff to the lake's shore.

"Do you have an idea on where we can find him?" Sheik asked as they walked to the edge of the shore. The water lapped against the fine gravel and mud.

Fuu looked around, hoping that he could spot Shadow Link somewhere. The note that had been left in his room suggested that Shadow Link would indeed be waiting for him somewhere at the lake, but hadn't specified where. There was no sign of the shadow anywhere along the coast. However, the good news was that he _did_ have an idea on where they could find him. The bad news was that he didn't like what it would take to get there. "I think," he said slowly, looking out at the deep, glassy blue of the lake, "he's underwater."

Sheik didn't seem all that surprised by the information, although he didn't look any happier than Fuu. "So he's at the Water Temple," Sheik nodded. "The place had once been used by the Zoras to pay homage to the water spirits, but has since been taken over by monsters after Vaati's attack. That does seem to be a likely place to find Shadow Link." He noticed a raft that had been tied to a dock nearby. He made his way over and then examined the rope that tied it in place. Then, he quickly looked around, making sure the raft's owner was nowhere nearby, and then he quickly cut the rope to free the raft. Fuu ran over to Sheik, somewhat incredulously.

"We're just going to steal that raft?" he asked.

Sheik shrugged. "We're borrowing it. Grab those paddles next to that rock over there."

"I never took you for the stealing type," Fuu grinned, tossing one of the paddles towards Sheik who was already sitting on the wooden raft.

"We're _borrowing_ it."

They paddled out to the center of the lake where the largest islet was. Although the largest one on the lake, the islet was fairly small with only a single tree growing on it, and it was big enough to accommodate a single shack and no more. Fuu was glad that Sheik had agreed to come along, since the warrior seemed to know of the underwater temple whereas Fuu would have had no idea where to start. When they reached the islet, Sheik tied the raft to the single, lonely tree that grew there.

"The temple is directly below here. Keep swimming down until you see a cave entrance and go through: you'll find a pocket of air once inside," he explained as he made sure that the raft was secure. "Can you swim?" Sheik asked when he noticed Fuu in a crouch, peering into the depths below with an unhappy expression.

Fuu's tone indicated that he was a little annoyed by Sheik's doubt of his abilities. "Yes," he said, "but I don't enjoy getting wet." He added, "Shadow Link better be there or else..." With a grimace, he pulled his boots off of his feet and he frowned when Sheik jumped in ahead, splashing some water in his face. Silver scales shimmered as startled fish swam away. Fuu slowly slipped his feet into the water. The cool water should have felt nice in the summer noon, but they hadn't come here for recreation and it was difficult to enjoy it. With a sigh, Fuu dropped into the water.

With a mutual nod, the two Sheikahs dove into the depths to the Water Temple.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Fuu gasped for air when he broke the surface at the entrance of the Water Temple. The underwater cave had been deeper than he'd thought, and he just barely made it through the narrow tunnel to where there was air. He coughed, wiping his hair and water out of his eyes to find Sheik, who had swum ahead of him. As he crawled onto the turquoise tiles of the temple, he heard a scuffle nearby as well as Shadow Link's taunting voice. He looked up, and saw that Sheik was restrained in a chokehold against the wall with a familiar shadow holding a knife to his neck.

"I thought I told you to come alone," Shadow Link tutted at Fuu, tightening his arms that were wrapped around Sheik's neck. "Or should I not have assumed that you knew how to read?"

Fuu could see what was going to happen next from a mile away. After all, he'd seen Sheik practice escape maneuvers with Impa over the course of the last few days of training, and he'd seen that he was quite good at it. Fuu began to squeeze the water out of his tunic while, with one quick movement, Sheik tripped Shadow Link off balance with a short jab with his leg and then flipped him over, slamming him against the floor.

"Ow!" Shadow winced, and then he scurried back against the wall when he noticed that the knife that had slipped out of his hands was now pointed at his nose, instead. He slowly raised both hands above his head as Sheik crouched in front of him threateningly.

"You. We're taking you back to Hyrule for a nice, long chat," he said. He held up a hand, and white magic crackled between his fingertips. "I'm sure Impa would like to talk to the one who attacked those poor unsuspecting merchants a day ago."

"I was hungry, they had food, so I took some that's all!" Shadow said hurriedly, his voice no longer confident. He eyed the sparks dancing around Sheik's fingers nervously, and he seemed to be more afraid of it than the knife. "H-h-hey! Fuu! Help me out here, will ya? I was good on my word, wasn't I?" he called out to Fuu who was still squeezing the water out of his clothes. Fuu gave an unhelpful shrug. The sparks along Sheik's fingers flashed with a blinding light, and when they dimmed Shadow Link's hands were locked together with a shining rope made of magic.

"He escaped your binds earlier because he's a being of shadow. He can only be restrained with light magic, or in a room with no shadow," Sheik explained when Fuu approached to take a better look at their captive. Sheik's eyes narrowed as he faced Shadow Link; the doppelganger was scowling miserably. "Now, perhaps you can tell me what you were up to. For your sake I hope your answer is a good one."

Shadow Link glowered, trying to shake his wrists out of the binds without much success. "Well your _friend_ there," he gave a nod towards Fuu, "apparently forgot to tell you that I was _trying to help y'all_ by showing you how to beat Dethl."

"Well you shouldn't have escaped," Fuu shrugged nonchalantly.

"I was worried you'd go to the Water Temple without me," Shadow Link frowned. "And I didn't want you to bring any friends along because I'd have to explain to them all over again why I'm being so helpful. I don't like repeating myself, get it?"

Sheik stood up, twirling a dagger between his fingers. "All right, then let's get straight to the point. I don't know the full story but from my understanding, there's something in this temple that can defeat Dethl. What is it?"

A small smile appeared on Shadow Link's lips, and he looked pleased that he was at least being given the chance to explain himself. He leaned back against the wall and crossed his legs lazily. "They're shards. You can call them… 'Dusk Shards.'"

Sheik was full of suspicion, and he interjected, "I've never heard of such things," he said. He was pretty well versed in the various artifacts, real or no, that supposedly existed in and around Hyrule. He knew of almost every legend and every tale related to powerful artifacts, and he had never heard of the 'Dusk Shards' that Shadow Link spoke of.

"Of course you haven't," Shadow Link grinned. "Master Vaati discovered them first, and identified them as vulnerabilities. They have the ability to send creatures of the Dark World back from where they came, including Dethl, who is itself a Dark World being." He continued, pointing at the door of the Water Temple with his cuffed hands. "Realizing their danger, Master Vaati broke the original piece into three different Dusk Shards, and then sealed them away in three temples around Hyrule. They can only be opened by Master Vaati, and strangely enough," Shadow's grin widened as his gaze turned to Fuu, "You."

Fuu glanced at Sheik uneasily, while Sheik had tensed from Shadow Link's suspicious, knowing grin. After all, dungeons that only Fuu could enter had been a story he'd heard before. However, Sheik had never told him that _Vaati_ could open the dungeons as well. Were the dungeons Sheik had described, the dungeons that only he could gain entry to, the same as the ones that Shadow described? Why could they only be opened by him and the infamous wind mage? "Sheik," he asked, a little more quietly than he'd intended, "could these dungeons be the same as-"

"You don't know that Fuu can open these dungeons yet," Sheik interrupted Fuu, shushing the other Sheikah with a protective hand and rounding on Shadow Link instead.

"I do. I saw him at the desert temple. The dungeons let him through where others cannot walk," Shadow Link said simply, enjoying Sheik's unease. "Maybe that's why I mistook him for Master Vaati?" he added with a chuckle, and gave a sly wink in Fuu's direction. Fuu didn't notice, however, as he had a complicated expression on his face and was staring at the blue-green tiles on the floor, lost in thought. With another chuckle, Shadow Link suddenly hopped onto his feet. He walked over to Sheik and placed his cuffed hands against the tip of the dagger that was pointed towards him, and shook his head disapprovingly. "If you don't believe me, maybe I'll prove it to you, here. This temple is another such dungeon that was used by Master Vaati to hide a Dusk Shard, and it can only be opened by Master Vaati, who is dead, and Fuu here. No one, not even me, can get into the chamber with the shard. We'll go and get the shard together, and then we can leave. It's a win-win: I get to show you that I'm true to my word, and you get to go home with something that can beat Dethl. Sound good?"

Sheik's grip on his dagger tightened, and he said nothing for a few long seconds. Logically it did sound good, but in his gut he had a bad feeling about this, and that Shadow Link wasn't telling him everything. He needed to figure out Shadow Link's motive, but he couldn't see it. None of Shadow's behavior made sense to him, unless he was leading the both of them into a trap (highly likely) and the Dusk Shard either a.) didn't exist or b.) wouldn't actually help to beat Dethl. At the same time, the story about how Vaati had sealed some kind of artifact did fit with Sheik's own intel. But if this was true, then why would Vaati go through the trouble of taking extra precautions to seal these artifacts? The only story that seemed to make sense was the one Shadow Link told them: that these artifacts were the key to defeating those from the Dark World.

It was all very confusing, and they were running out of time.

"All right," Sheik finally said, though not lowering the dagger pointed at the darker Link, "lead the way."

"Heh, glad you came around. I don't think I caught your name, by the way," Shadow Link said, walking over to the door of the temple. It was covered in fuzzy, brownish yellow moss, hiding the carving of a large snake-like leviathan. He pressed his weight against it, and it groaned open.

"Sheik," Sheik said, keeping a close distance to Shadow. Fuu tailed them slowly, still seemingly lost in thought about what Shadow Link had revealed. The door led them to a large open chamber filled with the turquoise lake water. The sound of rushing water filled the chamber, and Sheik could see a small waterfall in the far corner that filled the pool. The path that they were on led to a white stone structure in the center. Below in the depths of the water, there were several entrances into the white structure.

"It's easy to get distracted about where to go," Shadow Link warned, noting Sheik looking at the various doors that led to and from the chamber they were in. "The one we want to get to is at the bottom of the water. There's a switch on the far side of the room that will drain the water to the first level. Down there, we'll find a door engraved with a large eye. That's where the shard is."

Shadow Link's blue eyes glimpsed over his shoulder to where Fuu was. Fuu had fallen behind a little, looking around at his surroundings with awe. A sly grin passed over Shadow Link's face, and he slowed down a little, letting Sheik come closer. "You know," he said when Sheik was near, in a voice so low that Fuu wouldn't be able to hear the conversation, "I know what you did."

Sheik froze, the dagger just barely touching Shadow Link's back. He said nothing.

"You indoctrinated him, didn't you? That's Master Vaati."

The dagger shook in Sheik's hands, clattering almost. Red eyes widened behind his mask and they wavered with increasing panic. Sheik's silence was all Shadow Link needed for confirmation.

"Heh," he laughed softly, "I knew it." He began to walk forward again, though still speaking in his hushed tones. "Don't worry," he smiled knowingly, "I'll help keep your little secret. Besides," he turned around to flash a quick wink, "I have my own reasons for not wanting that ugly truth to come out."

Without warning, Sheik's hand shot out towards the surprised Shadow Link with lightning speed. He slammed him against the wall and raised his dagger, ready to plunge it into Shadow's neck. Sheik's eyes had glazed over with some kind of panicked determination, but his shaking hands betrayed his uncertainty. "You…" he whispered, "you're too dangerous. You know too much."

Shadow Link stared at the shaking dagger, his eyes wide. He hadn't expected such an agitated reaction. Then, he noticed some of the tiles beneath his feet were beginning to sink. The tiles were coming loose. _Well… shit._

"Vaati cannot return. I refuse to go back to that nightmare again, do you understand?" Sheik said, not noticing what was going on by their feet.

"Sheik!"

Fuu ran towards them, shouting at Sheik to stop. Before he could reach them, however, the floor beneath Shadow Link and Sheik vanished, and the two fell down into the depths below. " _SHEIK!_ " Fuu shouted, doubling his speed. However, it was too late. The floor closed in on itself once more, covering the hole with white tiles as though nothing extraordinary had happened. Briefly, the symbol of an ominous eye flashed over where the two unsuspecting people had fallen before it, too, disappeared.

He slammed his hands against the tiles where Sheik and Shadow Link had disappeared. He remembered how Sheik had mentioned the various traps in the dungeons that stopped trespassers from continuing forward to the secrets they held.

And he also remembered how he was perhaps the only one who could enter the dungeons without setting off traps.

Him, and Vaati, the Sorcerer of Winds.

Fuu stood up slowly, his hand lingering where the eye had flashed red over the tiles. He would have to find another way to find Sheik again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sheik tumbled down into the darkness with Shadow Link somewhere to his side. He was pretty sure he'd elbowed Shadow Link a few times during their fall, which he didn't feel bad about at all since the troublemaker deserved it.

Just when Sheik had begun to wonder if they had fallen into a bottomless pit, he slammed against a pool of cool water. The force hit him like canon fire, and he had to force his eyes open to keep from losing consciousness. Dazed, he frantically clawed at the water with his hands, trying to find his way up. He felt for the bubbles rising, and once he found some sort of direction, followed them up towards air. He gasped, coughing up water and trying to clear his nose.

The first thing he noticed was that it was pitch black. He couldn't see a thing, not even his hands. As such, he couldn't tell what kind of place he was in, how spacious it was, or how deep the water was. All was deathly quiet save for the quiet gurgle of water from the splashing of his arms and legs. Then, he remembered Shadow Link. Where was he?

Sheik splashed around, though not too much: he was worried about swimming too far in an unknown, potentially dangerous area. After a few seconds, his adjusting eyes noticed a faint source of light somewhere below his feet.

It was the glow of the handcuffs around Shadow Link's wrists.

Without hesitation, Sheik dove into the water after Shadow Link, who didn't appear to be awake and was floating deeper and deeper into the pool. His cuffed hands had prevented him from swimming towards the surface.

Sheik managed to catch up to him just as the water pressure began to pop his ears, and he dragged him as quickly as he could back to the surface. With swift hand motions, he released the binds that cuffed Shadow's hands together, and pulled him over his shoulder to keep his head above the water. Out of frustration, and nearly drowning himself from carrying both of their weight above water, Sheik slapped Shadow Link hard across the face.

There was a violent fit of coughing as Shadow Link jerked awake and began to breathe again. " _Cough, cough_. Is that… is that you Sheik…?" Shadow Link's voice asked weakly from the darkness.

"Yes."

At this, there was a pause. When Shadow spoke again there was genuine confusion, "You try to kill me and now you're saving me… why?"

Without warning, bright, electric blue lit up the water from below so that Sheik could see every detail of Shadow Link's confused creases across his forehead. The confused creases then slowly turned into fearful ones as Shadow Link turned his head towards the depths. The blue lights began to move, snakelike, in a languid yet predatory circle. Sheik recognized the silhouette made from the blue glow as that of the legendary aquatic giant, Morpheel.

He smiled bitterly at Shadow Link, his expression glowing faintly in that ghostly blue. "Maybe I only wanted to bring you back to another kind of grave."

* * *

fleets: I feel like I should have a lot to say but I'm pulling all sorts of blanks because I'm sleepy. I'll probably end up babbling a lot anyway in another chapter update.

 **Cattycheeno:** Yay! Glad you're enjoying this so far :D And yeah they really got him good: Vaati was really awful in this story's "world" (it's not the same one as the other stories I've written) and they definitely do not want him to come back in any sort of way.  
I really enjoy writing Shadow! I kind of wish I'd used him more in the past :)

 **Scarlet Firesong:** Aw thanks! I figured some people might have similar questions/comments as others and posting them all here would be nice :)

 **AquilaMage:** I'm having a lot of fun writing him! He's different than the other characters I've written so far. And you got that right! Shadow definitely knew more, as was seen in this chapter. Old Vaati was more obnoxious to Shadow than Fuu was for sure haha

 **Lord Siravant:** hahahahaahaha i love that (I was laughing when I read your note) XD

 **SubZeroChimera:** Yuuup. It's too bad he didn't really know what Shadow Link could do. More smug Shadow on the way, unless I kill him in the next chapter HA

 **Flufux:** And that's why I like characters like Dethl, because they have so many possible variations/interpretations. And ugh tell me about it: I too did not really like Ganon's sudden appearance. I guess it kind of stayed true to the games, with him stealing Vaati's thunder and all.

 **Serpent Tailed Angel:** I literally just got your review as soon as I was about to submit this :P Wow I really like your descriptions of Gale and Fuu. That's. So. Perfect I love it! Yeah, Fuu definitely does not have that 'emo Vaati' vibe that Gale has. He's a lot less sour. And lol I've written so much Vaati it's getting kind of ridiculous. Sometimes I tell myself I should write a different character but I somehow keep finding myself back to the one eyed purple bat grape. And ahhh I'm flattered thank you ;n; (I think Rend took me for a spin with Fuu's characterization, too, since he's a little different, though still kind of the same, as Rend Vaati)


	9. What Lies Beneath the Surface

fleets: I started posting a few pictures related to this story on deviantart (I'm under 'fleetfleets') :)  
Flufux also drew a comic featuring Fuu and my other Vaati-who-doesn't-realize-he's-Vaati character Gale from Avilux Ignis, as well as his own Vaati (he goes by Reptileman778 on deviantart if you want to check it out!)

* * *

 **Chapter 9: What Lies Beneath the Surface**

Sheik and Shadow Link had disappeared, victims of the temple's traps. The only guess Fuu had about where they could have gone was 'down.' Other than that, he had no idea where to find them. This left him with little choice except to continue onwards, and try to find his way down to the lower levels as fast as possible. Fuu peered into the clear water that filled the grand chamber, and he could make out two stories of doors within the central structure that was submerged in the water. He recalled Shadow Link explaining how there was a switch on the far side of the room that could be used to drain the water out of the chamber.

He quickly made his way down the rest of the walkway to the central building, and then ran around it while being careful not to slip on the puddles. He half expected another trap to pull him down into the black abyss, too, but with every step forward he became more confident that the traps really didn't work for him. He had no idea why, but the dungeon didn't seem to want to stop his progress.

He couldn't say the same for Sheik, and he hoped that he was ok.

Once on the other side of the structure, Fuu came across what looked like a raised stone switch embedded in one of the white columns that rose from the pool. "That must be the switch Shadow was talking about," he thought, and he pressed it. There was a loud, lurching gurgle, and the entire chamber shuddered as the deep pool began to quickly drain. Thousands of gallons of water disappeared, swirling into a whirlpool until eventually all that was left were some shallow puddles on the lowest floor.

Fuu teleported down to the bottom of the chamber once all of the water from the pool had drained away. He grimaced a little when his bare feet stepped on a light film of slimy algae that had been growing on the stone tiles, and he wished that he still had his boots on his feet. Careful not to lose his balance on the slippery floor, Fuu began his search for a "door with an eye."

It didn't take him too long to find the door. Or rather, it would have been more accurate to say that he'd found a wall with a carving of a giant, ominous eye. He'd found it along the side of the central structure, and the carving was about five feet across in length. He took an additional lap around the cylindrical structure in the chamber to make sure he hadn't missed anything, but there was nothing else he could find that was remotely close to what Shadow Link had described. This had to be it, but then why wasn't it a door?

"How am I supposed to get past this?" Fuu wondered aloud. He ran his hand along the carving of the eye, trying to see if there were any secret mechanisms that would reveal some kind of entrance.

As soon as he'd done so, something flashed in the corner of his vision. It was much like how he could… _see_ … spells, except the effect was much more powerful this time. When Fuu had relearned some of the spells he could cast now, the best way to describe it was that he could see them: it was kind of like how a skilled swordsman could instinctively read an opponent's moves or how a master painter would know just what colors to mix to create the perfect shade of hue. When he'd first woken up in the Gerudo camp, he'd realized that he could… see all of the illogically logical nuisances and subtleties of the air around him. Of wind _magic_. Back then, it had felt kind of like a tickle in his head, like a small spark of euphoria from an epiphany.

This time, however, the sensation hit him like the sudden nausea from drinking one too many blue potions.

His vision became strange, like he could see but not see anything at the same time. He could almost feel the cold stone of the carved eye with his vision, rather than touch, if that were even possible. And then he became confused as to whether he was still inside the temple or was somewhere else. He could see a hand reaching out to him, and then it turned ashen grey as it cracked into stone. His vision changed again, and this time he could see a faceless person, a young woman perhaps, though he couldn't be sure. They were spinning on the balls of the feet, dancing, and there was a slow, rhythmic heartbeat muffled in his ears. Another crack, and the woman stopped spinning and the heartbeat died. Her stone frame toppled and smashed into dozens of pieces on the floor.

A flash, a blink. Fuu's vision passed and he realized he'd collapsed onto his knees. He hadn't noticed until now that his pants had soaked up cold water from the puddles.

He touched his own face in alarm when he noticed that he'd been smiling gleefully. The vision had been disturbing, and yet he'd been smiling. "What… what was that?" he asked hoarsely to the carving of the eye.

He looked around, wondering if he'd imagined the disembodied hand and the woman who had turned into stone. Nothing remained changed in the chamber, and he seemed to be completely alone except for the company of the occasional gurgle of water from somewhere in the temple. Finally, he looked back towards the carving again, and he noticed something peculiar. Nothing about it had changed physically, but he had some new kind of understanding for it that he didn't have before.

He slowly pushed himself back up on his feet, and then he looked at his fingers, wiggling them a little. After a few seconds, he lifted one hand until he was calmly pointing at the carving of the eye.

He took aim, and then whispered, "To Stone With You."

Energy zapped from his fingertips straight for the carving. As soon as it hit the wall, the entire chamber came to life with a bright red glow that spread along the walls. Hundreds of thousands of the eye carving glowed red along every inch of the chamber, lighting up the interior like the fires of Death Mountain. Fuu heard a low thrum as the stone carving disappeared into a hollow doorway, and just as soon as they had appeared, the red eyes vanished.

Fuu looked around cautiously for several seconds, wondering if he'd triggered any kind of trap. After all, those eyes had appeared rather creepy and sinister. However, nothing else happened, so he carefully made his way over to see what lay hidden past the doorway that had just appeared.

As he did so, he couldn't help but think about his connection with these dungeons, and with Vaati. Maybe it was a coincidence that he hadn't triggered any traps yet, but both Sheik and Shadow Link had told him on two separate occasions that he had a special ability to navigate dungeons without triggering their traps. What made him special? On top of that, it was almost as if the carving of the eye had been waiting for him, specifically, to show him the spell that could turn things into stone. And did he learn that spell just now, or had he always known it? Even more concerning was the fact that he shared the ability to go through dungeons unhindered with none other than Vaati himself. He couldn't help but wonder if Sheik had known about this and had decided not to tell him about it, but why in the world would he hide something like that?

The room past the doorway that was inside the central structure of the chamber wasn't very spacious, and only contained a single pedestal with a clouded yet brilliant shard. Fuu leaned close, observing the shard with his nose scrunched in suspicion, before he gingerly tapped it with a finger. Deeming it safe (though still suspicious), he picked it up and placed it on his hand.

No doubt this was one of the "Dusk Shards" that would supposedly help them defeat Dethl. It lay flat on his hand, and the oily blue yet metallic silver gleam reminded him of a mirror. He had expected an evil-warding object to be more… holy in appearance, as the shard had an almost foreboding and calamitous aura. He couldn't quite put a finger on why he sensed that it aligned itself towards Dark rather than Light magic, but that was the feeling he got. Maybe it was the way it felt heavier in his hand than it looked, as though it wanted to fatigue the one carrying it, or maybe it was the way it seemed to reflect light back into itself rather than reflect it out, so that staring at it made it seem like you were looking into perpetual, murky darkness.

Or maybe he was just tired and was imagining all of these things.

At any rate, they could find out more about the shard once they got back to the castle. Perhaps they could get Shadow Link to tell them a little more about it.

Fuu stopped in his tracks. _Oh crud,_ he thought, _I still don't know where Sheik and Shadow Link went._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"That's uh… that's a really big eel, fish… thing," Shadow Link nodded his head nervously towards the gigantic creature that had lit up the water with its electric blue light. Its bioluminescence pulsed along its sides, as it swam in a large circle beneath them.

From the length of the blue lights, Sheik guessed that it was thirty, no forty feet in length, roughly fifteen feet below them. He began to paddle backwards slowly, careful not to startle the monstrous eel. "You've never heard of Morpheel before?" Sheik asked, keeping one arm out in the direction that he was moving in. He was hoping to find the edge of the pool they were in. A wall would provide some kind of direction as well as a bit of mobility to push off of it if the monster decided to attack them.

"No. Vaati didn't tell me everything about what he put in his dungeons," Shadow replied. He, too, began to swim away from the eel still circling below, trying to find a wall that they could follow in the darkness.

"Can't you do anything about this?" Sheik asked, "Aren't dark places your comfort zone? It's plenty dark here."

"Well yeah, but swimming stinks. And bombs don't really work all that well underwater. If I could find a wall then I can phase into it as a shadow."

Suddenly, everything became dark again as the lights along Morpheel's sides dimmed. The blue lights had been a sign of the monster's agitation from having something foreign suddenly drop into its domain. The monster had apparently decided that whatever it was that had dropped into its lair wasn't anything to be afraid of, and now that it had calmed again, it disappeared back into the abyss. Sheik prayed that it hadn't decided that they were food.

"Yes! A wall!" From the darkness, Sheik heard Shadow Link's voice exclaim from somewhere to his right. Sure enough, Sheik's hand also touched the rough texture of water weathered stone. He heard shadow Link cackled gleefully. "See ya, sucker! I'm getting out of here." Then there was a soft 'pop,' which Sheik assumed was Shadow Link melding into the wall as a shadow, leaving him alone with the terrifying darkness and the leviathan lurking within it.

Once again, he was alone with nothing but the consuming darkness of the lair and the faint splashes of the water hitting against the walls. He was alone, with nothing but the chilling knowledge that a giant was out there in the darkness, circling the water.

Sheik needed light. He could potentially use the spell for the Holy Arrow, but that would greatly risk giving away his identity as Princess Zelda in front of Shadow Link. He ran through a list of all the different spells he knew how to cast which would help him with vision. He decided to go with the spell of Divine Shield, as it could be cast underwater and it would leave him with a glowing blue shield that would last at least five seconds so that he could see his surroundings.

Sheik, still keeping one hand along the wall behind him, brought up his free hand and forward. "Nayru's love," he murmured.

 _SLAM!_

"Ah!" Sheik exclaimed in surprise as something rammed him against the wall no sooner had he cast the spell. He forced himself to remain conscious; losing consciousness in water would lead to drowning. As he tried to figure out what had happened, Sheik caught a glimpse of rows upon rows of huge teeth, half the length of his body, which were pushed up against the magical shield he had summoned. He could see every detail of the ridged scales of the creature as it thrashed against the shield that it had crashed into. Sheik paled as he watched Morpheel wiggle back angrily after being thwarted from eating his prey. That had been extremely, uncomfortably close, from being impaled between the monster's teeth.

Sheik wasted no time pushing himself sideways from the wall to swim quickly away from Morpheel. The lair lit up in the same electric blue again as the monster became angered. "I guess that's one way to summon light," Sheik gulped.

He needed to find a way out of here, and fast. He was no match against a monster of this size underwater. While Sheik was a talented fighter on land, the water was Morpheel's domain; there was no way he could stand a chance against it. Worse still, he could feel himself getting fatigued from paddling in the water: if Morpheel didn't kill him, then he would surely drown to death. He scrambled to find a way out of what seemed to be a large, dome-shaped cave filled with water. It was fairly deep, as the lights from the mega eel barely lit the sand at the very bottom of the pool.

The light around him dimmed again as Morpheel swam away, only to circle back with increasing speed. Sheik clutched the wall behind him tightly with both hands, getting ready to leap to either side as Morpheel closed in on him. Just before the eel consumed him with its enormous jaws of double-lined teeth, and just before Sheik could jump out of the way, a tremendous force pushed him under water without warning.

Gallons of water had suddenly come pouring into the chamber from above, raining down on them heavily with an explosive roar. Sheik briefly saw the eel writhing against the sudden current, twisting as it fought for control, before he lost his own sense of direction from being tumbled further and further downwards into the pool. He clawed for air, and his ears throbbed in pain from the sudden change in pressure, but it was no use: the surge of water was too powerful to fight against. He tumbled downwards until he hit the sand at the bottom of the pool, with little chance to return to the surface until the influx of water was stopped.

Sheik almost resigned himself to his fate to drown in Morpheel's lair when it occurred to him that the surge of water must have some place to go, or it will overflow the lair: there was a chance that there was a way out of the lair other than the hole they'd dropped down from above. He looked around wildly, ignoring the pain in his ears, for some sign of a vent or tunnel that led out.

There. He saw it, about ten feet away against the wall at the bottom of the pool was a steel grate that blocked the way through a tunnel. His only chance to make it out of this alive was to get through the grate and through the tunnel to wherever in Subrosia it led to. Sheik crawled along the bottom of the pool, pushing himself forward as fast as he could against the current. As he closed in upon his exit, however, Morpheel came around one last time, knocking Sheik away as it thrashed about in a frenzied rage.

 _No_ … Sheik reached out for his last chance of escape. His vision was blurring, and his chest was beginning to burn as his lungs screamed for air.

As he lost consciousness, the last thing he remembered was a firm grip around his numbing hands. It reminded him of a secret handshake. Like the one with Link. The one with Fuu. _I wonder if he's worried about me…_ he thought, as darkness overcame him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Surrender, Princess."

The voice was cold and ruthless. She'd heard it before, and it filled her with fear to hear it again.

"Hyrule belongs to me now."

It was the final battle. The fire and smoke from the burning plains stung her eyes, and it burned the sorcerer's menacing red eyes a much more terrifying red. She could see him sneer as the ashes rose around him into a black storm. The legions of monsters that rallied behind Vaati was truly overwhelming, their numbers turning the field into a cover like pitch.

The soldiers behind her were not enough. They had not expected such numbers, but they still had to try. This was perhaps their last chance to have the Hylians, Gorons, and Gerudos fighting together. There were no second chances. Their only hope today was to defeat Vaati, and the battle would be over.

She knew what was going to happen next as she replayed the events of the final battle. She pulled back the string of her bow, charging the Holy Arrow that would pierce through the darkness and reveal a path of light. As she did so, Vaati would transform from the pale skinned youth into a monstrous black eye with pupils burning in hatred and rage. He would end the lives of hundreds behind her with a single sweep of his claws.

But… that was not at all what happened this time. As she aimed her arrow at Vaati's heart, he continued to stand there without transforming into that hideous demon. His sneer vanished, only to be replaced with a concerned frown. "Sheik? Did I do something wrong?"

Her fingers trembled against the string of her bow. No, no this wasn't what happened.

"I trust you, Sheik. Because you trust me, too."

"Fuu." Her voice was hoarse and broken. The legion of thousands that Vaati had commanded all turned their hungry eyes on him, and they were released from his hold. She watched helplessly as the black storm fell over the sorcerer, devouring him.

"…betray… you…"

Her fingers slipped. The arrow flew straight into the center of the darkness, carving a path of light through it. The storm parted, revealing the wind mage still standing in the center. He fell as the arrow pierced his heart.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sheik gasped, jolting awake. He fell into a fit of coughing, and his throat burned, screaming for air. A hand roughly slapped his back to help him cough up the rest of the water that was in his throat. Once he recovered from his coughing fit, Sheik took a few minutes curled up on his knees, trying to process what had just happened. He'd been dreaming something horrible, and before that he remembered drowning…

He stared at the tufts of grass between his palms. He slowly raised his head to see that he was in the shade of a tree, in fact the very one on the islet where he and Fuu had tied their raft to. When he looked up further he saw the blue skies of Hyrule above him. A familiar face interrupted his view.

"Hiya," Shadow Link waved.

Sheik sat up, surprised by the identity of his rescuer. "I thought you'd left," he said quietly.

Shadow huffed, and waved him away. "Look, let's not make this more awkward than it already is. Yes I saved you. You're welcome," he squeezed some water out of his black cap, and then pinched its ends a little so that it curled the way he liked it. "And now you're probably going to ask me, 'But why, Shadow? Why did you save me? Are you actually a Hero?' My answer to that is, I wanted to even the score," he crinkled his nose irritably, "Now I don't owe you anything, got it?"

The corners of Sheik's eyes softened, and he turned away from the shadow to take a look at his own damage. His back was still sore from being slammed this way and that by the Morpheel, and his hearing was a little muffled from water in his left ear. Nothing seemed to be broken, and all in all he'd come out of the ordeal alive with just a few bruises and several sore limbs. He smiled to himself. "Thank you."

Shadow Link bit his lip, flustered by the genuine gratitude. He threw up his hands in frustration, "Ugh, don't thank me. I only did it because you saved my ass first, and I _hate_ owing favors," he grumbled. "I don't even get why you saved me in the first place. Weren't you trying to kill me earlier?"

Sheik flopped back onto the grass, breathing deeply. He closed his eyes to rest. "Yes," he replied simply. "You are dangerous."

"Then why?"

Sheik opened his eyes again. He watched the clouds passing by. He was relieved to see that they were white, unlike the ones in his dream. "I…" he started, and then hesitated. He didn't really have a good answer to that. He hadn't really been thinking in the limited time he'd had to make the decision to save Shadow. "I should have let you drown. You are a former ally to Vaati, and perhaps a current ally to Dethl. You know our secret of what we did to Vaati. I should have let you die," Sheik trailed off, "and yet I didn't. I do not know why."

Shadow Link burst out laughing. "Hahaha! Well I'm glad it wasn't for some dumb reason like 'I saw the light in your heart,' or something stupid."

At this, Sheik chuckled and they both fell into a thoughtful silence again. It didn't last long, however, because Sheik remembered something incredibly important. "Oh Din," he sat up again, "We completely forgot about Fuu."

"I didn't," Shadow grinned, "I'm sure he's doing fine."

"I have to let him know that I'm all right," Sheik stood up to leave.

At this, Shadow Link cocked his head with a curious glimmer in his eye. He jumped up onto his feet and stretched, still with that lopsided grin of his. "Hey, so I gotta ask," he started, causing Sheik to turn towards him questioningly, "What will you do if 'Fuu' ever finds out what you did to him?" His grin widened, "He'll probably kill you."

Sheik's expression tensed, and his eyes narrowed behind the cloth over his face. "It won't come to that," he said sternly.

Shadow Link, however, wasn't dissuaded. "But what if it does?" he pressed, hovering playfully in the air, "What if he finds out that you took away everything he ever had and gave him a lie?"

Sheik sighed, and began walking towards the water that lapped against the grass. "What do you care, Shadow?" he asked. Then he asked the question that had been nagging him since he first found out that Shadow was supposedly helping them. "And what are you hoping to accomplish by helping us, as you claim you are doing?"

"To be clear, I'm not helping _you_ ," Shadow Link clarified with a snort. "I'm using him to get something I can't without his help, which is exactly what you're doing. Unlike you, however, I'm also looking out for Master Vaati."

"And yet you don't want him to remember who he was?"

At this, Shadow Link's expression became blank, as though he had to think about the question a little. After a while, he shrugged dismissively. "You wouldn't understand. You were never a servant. You can hate someone, and yet still feel compelled to look out for them," he said, though avoiding Sheik's gaze. "I don't want him to remember because I like him better this way." When he noticed Sheik looking at him in a way that suggested that he didn't believe Shadow was telling the whole truth, the doppelganger crossed his arms angrily and changed the subject. "Y'all are so dead when Master Vaati finds out what you did to him."

Sheik watched Shadow Link who had his arms crossed over his chest irritably. "You may not want him to come back, but you are still upset about what we did to your master," Sheik observed quietly, seeing a bit of clarity of Shadow Link's motivations. He wondered briefly about the complicated relationship between Shadow Link and his former master. Perhaps he despised him yet respected him, wanted to escape him yet help him against the ones who had wronged him. Sheik had been right all along: Shadow Link had never intended to help them at all. If they weren't careful, Shadow Link might eventually use Fuu against them. "If Fuu ever finds out what we had done," Sheik said carefully, "then I hope he remembers me as a friend."

"And that's what I hate about you people," Shadow Link spat, his false cheerful demeanor completely gone now. The façade had been a mask to hide all of the anger and bitterness towards Hyrule, and this was perhaps the first time that Sheik had seen Shadow Link. The real Shadow Link. It was the one who couldn't bear the suggestion of lifting a single finger to help Hyrule. Shadow Link was definitely not trying to help them, and Sheik had been extremely lucky that Shadow hadn't wanted to owe him for saving his life earlier. Shadow hadn't saved him out of the kindness of his heart. "You _pretend_ that you harbor friendship and kindness towards everyone. Even when you don't," he glowered, "Friends don't lie the way you do."

"What do you know of friendships?" Sheik asked, genuinely curious about the answer.

At this, Shadow Link smiled bitterly. He almost sounded lonely when he replied resolutely, "I don't believe in friendships."

* * *

fleets: Shadow Link in this story is probably the most complicated character I've ever had to write. How he acts on the surface doesn't fit with what he really feels, and he has at least 3 different motivations that I have to keep in mind as the story continues onward. I don't know if this was actually good story planning.

I tried being clever with the title but probably failed miserably hahaha ('Lies' beneath the surface, because we have several liars in the story/chapter, and also there's a giant fish monster swimming below the water's surface, and then vaati magic beneath surfaces... yeah i'm so witty and clever hahahaha *shot*)

The pacing is actually quite difficult for me, so I can only hope that it's o.k. so far. I'm not really sure what it is about this story in particular that I'm finding trickier than my other ones. Maybe it's because I haven't really written a story yet with a fairly equal distribution of attention to three characters (like yeah, I guess Rend kind of had three and OA had several, but in all of those stories Vaati still overshadowed the others). And I haven't even introduced Dethl properly yet... I'm having fun with the learning process involved in writing this though :)

Morpheel is one of the underwater bosses from Twilight Princess, and one of my favorite battles! He got a little makeover with bioluminescent sparkles in this chapter. I'm really fond of fights with giant water leviathans :D

Thank you again for giving this story a chance! :)

 **Serpent Tailed Angel:** Hahaha yeah it is! Now that you mention it, I think I could have played that up a bit more (about how Shadow was being obnoxious) XD Shadow Link's motivations are... messy. I hope I can reel it out appropriately (not too rushed, but not too vague) because he's probably one of the more interesting characters in my lineup this time.

 **SubZeroChimera:** I know right! He's infinite! In this case it was a good thing Sheik saved him or this story will have to continue with one less character. And yeahhh the updating was a little crazy. I skipped a few days between the last one and this one so it's a little less crazy but... still pretty crazy for me?

 **AquilaMage:** Or a mix of both, with helping and abandoning at the same time XD  
Fuu's getting more and more confused, yeah. Even more so now with the temple jogging his brain with one of his trademark spells. I like to think of this entire situation like a game of Jenga - eventually it's going to come crashing down spectacularly.

 **Cattycheeno:** The witches did a really good job at erasing his past, which is part of why it's so horrible. I've actually never played OoT so I still haven't fought against Dark Link who I've heard so much about!

 **Flufux:** Wildcard: that's a perfect word to describe him :) Haha that's awesome! I can't really imagine what a mix of Scottish and Spanish sounds like, but that sounds wild. And yes! I saw it! :D Thank you for letting me know I loved the cameos! I posted a memo at the top to let other people know as well :)


	10. Deception and Lies

fleets: I can't think of good chapter titles right now blahh

Thank you for reading the story up to now! :D I didn't proof this really well, which is bad, but I got really impatient :((( (hopefully there aren't too many errors)

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Deception and Lies**

It was about an hour later that they started making their way back to Hyrule castle. Shadow Link had gone back to the temple to find Fuu again, since his ability to move across walls made it less likely that he would encounter traps. That wasn't to say that he managed to avoid every trap in the temple: by the time Shadow Link had dragged Fuu back out of the temple, he'd had a flesh-eating bonefish nibbling his hat and some jellyfish stings across his legs. Fuu, on the other hand, came back with two bags full of rupees and a peculiar magnifying glass with the Sheikah symbol, along with the Dark Shard.

"And Sheik here thought you'd be absolutely worried about us," Shadow Link complained irritably, waving a hand at Fuu's new finds, "but apparently you were happily raiding the place for treasures instead." He rubbed the spot on his hat where the bone fish had punched a hole through it. He had decided, to Sheik's surprise, to follow the two of them back to Hyrule castle after he'd returned with Fuu. Sheik still wasn't sure how much he could believe Shadow Link's words, but the doppelganger claimed that he was merely following Fuu and it had nothing to do with being helpful to Hyrule in general. He'd considered locking the shadow's hands together to keep him under control during the trip back to the castle, but considering how Shadow Link was under good behavior for now, treating him like a captive would be more trouble than it was worth.

Fuu rolled his eyes, ignoring Shadow when the Link lookalike showed him his ruined hat for the hundredth time. "I wouldn't have run through practically every single room in the temple if I'd known you guys had made it outside," he waved a hand at the magnifying glass that he'd found, which was now in Sheik's possession. The blond warrior was examining it closely as they walked back to the castle, looking through the lens at different objects they passed along the way. "At least some good came of my search."

"Indeed," Sheik agreed, pointing the lens at Shadow Link who took a step back uneasily. Through the lens, Shadow Link no longer appeared as Link's doppelganger but a shade-like creature with no discernible form. "You somehow found the Lens of Truth, an old Sheikah artifact that had been lost to us for hundreds of years."

Shadow Link leaned away from the magical glass. "You still haven't told us what it does yet." He added, mumbling, "and y'all can stop pointing that at me, thanks."

They were almost at the main gates leading into Castle Town from Hyrule Field. Sheik stopped, and with a faint grin he twirled the Lens of Truth between his fingers. "How about I show you what it does?" he asked with what Fuu thought was an unusually mischievous tone for Sheik.

"How about not."

Sheik tapped the glass with the back of his hand as though he'd seen something important. "Ah. According to the lens, you haven't been very truthful to us."

"Obviously! Everyone has secrets they keep that aren't for nosy gossip seekers like you," Shadow retorted.

"You're not going to help Hyrule,"

"Of course not! I already explained why I'm here and I've been pretty upfront with you about it!"

"You're only here to help Fuu."

Shadow Link crossed his arms and nodded towards the castle. "You're just repeating things I've already told you. Can we go now?"

"That's not everything the lens is showing," Sheik continued, and at this, he watched Shadow Link's reactions carefully. "It says you're planning to betray not only Hyrule, but Fuu, too."

Shadow Link's cheeks flushed crimson, and he stared incredulously at Sheik and the lens in his hands. He glanced briefly at Fuu who had his gaze towards Sheik questioningly, before he shook his hands defensively. "T-that's nonsense!" he cried. "You're making that up! I'm going on ahead!"

With that, he ran off ahead through the gates and vanished, quite literally, into the shadows. Fuu raised an eyebrow when he noticed the brief glimpse of a smirk on Sheik's face. He'd gotten pretty good at reading the other Sheikah's fairly stoic facial expressions. "Did you just…" he trailed off, and then started again, "That's not what the Lens of Truth really does, is it," he said flatly.

"Nope," the grin on Sheik's face became a little more noticeable, and he placed the lens safely into one of the bags hanging from his hip. "I just wanted to see him squirm."

"To be honest you were pretty convincing," Fuu shrugged as they made their way after Shadow Link. "If I hadn't seen that little grin of yours I might have been fooled." Then he said with a laugh, "You're an evil bastard yourself, you know that?"

"He deserved it," Sheik replied huffily.

"Can't argue with that," Fuu agreed with a smirk. The two Sheikah caught a few curious stares their way as they made their way through the bustling Castle Town. Up ahead, they could occasionally see Shadow Link running towards the castle. "Do you think he'll betray us?" He asked, his voice thoughtful. The way he asked the question suggested that he'd been thinking about the question for some time himself. His hand absentmindedly drifted towards the pouch on his waist that contained the mysterious Dusk Shard.

Sheik wasn't sure of the answer. He couldn't put together a full picture of what he knew of Shadow Link. What he knew so far, or as much as he could actually 'know' of Shadow Link, was that the doppelganger had no intention of helping Hyrule. He was apparently loyal, for the time being, to Fuu, and he knew that Fuu was his old master. It was unclear whether or not he actually liked Vaati, but he did seem to respect him to a certain degree. The real question now was whether or not Shadow Link had a new master, and if he liked Vaati enough that he wouldn't betray him. Unfortunately, the answer for that question wasn't easy to determine. "I think he is hiding something. Everything he says is too… convenient," Sheik said after some time. "He's lying."

"But what if he isn't?"

There was a hesitation in Sheik's steps when he heard Fuu's words. He was surprised when he saw that Fuu was being completely serious about his question. Sheik doubted that Vaati had ever been as willing to trust people as much as Fuu: perhaps it was because Fuu didn't have any memory of experiencing the consequences of trusting too openly. In this way, Sheik had noticed, Fuu was almost like a child. Whether big lies or small lies, most adults have been disappointed at some point in their life by the time they pass childhood. Without these experiences in memory, Fuu could be naively trusting at times.

At this, Sheik couldn't help but feel guilt creep up on him as he thought about how Fuu had no idea about the greatest lie in his life. If he ever did find out, what would happen? To Fuu it would be one of the most shocking of betrayals… "As a shadow warrior, the cost of doubting all is much less than the cost of doubting none."

"But I can trust you, right?"

It had meant to be a jovial question, a small joke to Sheik's suggestion to trust no one when it was obvious that they could trust each other. Sheik had to quickly turn away to hide his almost pained expression, because what was obvious to Fuu was not the real truth. The brutal scene from his nightmare echoed again in his head; the scene where, just before he killed Fuu with his own arrow, the pale youth had said confidently the most naïve of words. _I trust you, Sheik. Because you trust me, too._ Sheik lowered his eyes, and he also remembered Shadow Link's accusations. _Friends don't lie the way you do._

"You weren't listening to a thing I just said, were you?" he said eventually, brushing the question aside jokingly.

As they laughed together, making their way back to the castle, Fuu never caught the fact that Sheik had meant every word of what he'd just said.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Impa was, as Sheik and Fuu had both anticipated correctly, not very happy with them when they arrived back at the castle. It wasn't that she yelled at them or threatened them angrily for causing trouble, no it was much worse than that. Instead, she gave them what Sheik liked to call the "Final Impa" which involved being exposed to the most disappointing of stares until it was so uncomfortable that you ended up apologizing in a dozen different ways to make her stop.

What was worse was that Shadow Link had, in his distracted state from Sheik's earlier accusations, gone straight to the castle gates without thinking about his own position; namely that he was, according to Impa, an ally to Vaati and Dethl and therefore an enemy. They were now in one of the meeting halls of the castle, and Impa was silently watching the two Sheikah students with the Final Impa, with Shadow Link sitting on the floor next to her sullenly, like a stray dog that had been caught for the pounds.

Shadow Link looked up at them hopefully when he saw Sheik and Fuu. "Hiya," he brought a hand up to wave, but then shrunk backwards when Impa shot him a warning glare. "Uh… help me out here before she kills me?" he suggested. "I already told her how I helped y'all get the thing that will beat Dethl, and how we made it through the Water Temple with amazing teamwork, and that I'm committed to helping Fuu in any way I can. She doesn't seem to believe me, though, so I would really appreciate your help?"

Sheik and Fuu glanced at Shadow Link, then at Impa, and then back at each other at least so they could avoid Final Impa. The older Sheikah, with her arms crossed over her chest, had tapped a single finger on her elbow in a way that had been so intimidating that it put moblins to shame.

Sheik was a little more used to the damning stare, so Fuu broke before he did. "We're sorry we didn't tell you, but we didn't have a choice," Fuu attempted to make peace. He was able to meet her stare for two whole seconds before he looked away awkwardly. "For what it's worth, what Shadow Link told you is true. For now," he added lamely.

Only moving her eyes, Impa looked at Fuu, and then at Sheik who was nodding in agreement. Eventually, she said slowly, "Even the part about how you promised he would be a Sheikah in oath?"

"What? No!" Fuu exclaimed, while Sheik covered his face with his hands tiredly.

Shadow frowned indignantly when Fuu rounded on him. "What? How else was I supposed to keep her from killing me on sight?"

"Maybe if you weren't such a liar," Sheik mumbled.

"I heard that! And you're one to talk!"

"Enough!"

They all fell to quiet attention at the sound of Impa's voice. Impa sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Sheik, Fuu, I can't even begin to tell you how disappointed I am to learn that you went after an extremely dangerous individual without consulting with me first. Especially you, Sheik," she turned towards Sheik, who hung his head in shame, "you should know better than to blindly follow someone in what could be a potential trap."

"I'm sorry," Sheik said quietly. He knew that what Impa really meant was 'know your position.' He was Princess Zelda after all.

Impa shook her head. "Never mind. I'm relieved that both of you came back in one piece." There was a noticeable release of tension from the three teenagers in the room when it was clear that they were finally going to move on to other matters. "Now, about the Dusk Shards…"

Fuu, who had anticipated the question, already had the shard in his hands and he passed it towards Impa. "Here." Zelda's guardian took the shard, about the size of a small plate, and turned it over in the light. As Fuu had already noted in the Water Temple, the shard was dark and murky as though it absorbed the light that hit its surface.

"That's it!" Shadow exclaimed, eager to prove that he was being helpful, "That's what you'll need to beat Dethl. See? I told you I'm helpful!"

Fuu scoffed, voicing everyone's opinion. "I still don't understand why you're suddenly helping us."

"I'm _not_ ," Shadow Link objected, taking offense, "Like I've said a dozen times by now, I only want to help you, not them."

Fuu shook his head with a pitying tone. "Yeah, I don't understand that either."

Shadow grumbled, "I found you when I thought you were Master Vaati, but it turns out that Master Vaati is dead. That means I'm not aligned to anyone, and I can do whatever I want."

Fuu raised an eyebrow. "And you've decided to use your new freedom to… follow a complete stranger who just so happens to remind you of your dead Master?"

At this, Shadow Link's frown vanished, and was replaced by a faint smile. He sat up a little with a slight tilt of his head. "You do remind me of him, it's true. Surely you can't be surprised by that by now?" he chuckled when Fuu made a face. "I'm just a lost little duckling, yeah? I'll follow anyone who fills role of my dead, dead Master Vaati." He stretched his arms, appearing emboldened now that he didn't seem to be in any immediate danger of being harmed. He disappeared momentarily into a shadow cast by one of the pillars nearby and popped up again into the air a few feet away. "Besides, maybe I also happen to want Dethl dead, too." He said, reclining lazily in the air. He was chewing the tip of his pointed hat with a knowing grin, observing the others' reactions. "Did you know that it was Dethl who betrayed Master Vaati in the climactic battle? Dethl realized that you Hylians had prepared a trap before Master Vaati did, but it never let Master Vaati know. It wanted to steal Master Vaati's throne for a while now, but it knew it couldn't defeat him in a fair fight."

Shadow Link let the incredulous silence settle in. All three Sheikah was staring at him, stunned. They were all familiar with how some mysterious black shadow had attacked Vaati, granting them a chance at victory in the final, decisive battle. Impa was the first to speak, though her normally level voice was faint. "That shadow that attacked Vaati during the fight…" she said, her arms uncrossing a little. "That was Dethl."

Shadow Link nodded, winking. "I didn't think much of it at first, since I thought Master Vaati hadn't actually died in that fight, and he would punish Dethl himself. But now I find out that Dethl _was_ responsible for Master Vaati's death." He jumped back down onto the floor and then strutted over to Fuu, leaning on his shoulder. "As Master Vaati's most capable servant, it's only fitting that I help ruin the one who betrayed him, don't you think?" he asked, and then steadied himself when Fuu pulled away, annoyed that his shoulder was being used as an uninvited armrest.

"Let's pretend for a moment that I believe you." Impa brought out the Dusk Shard again, holding it out towards Shadow Link. "What are the Dusk Shards that you speak of and how can they defeat Dethl?" She narrowed her eyes when the doppelganger's answer wasn't very specific.

"I don't know what they are," Shadow admitted. "I just know that if you make them whole again, then they can send Dark World creatures away from this world and back into theirs."

"So what you're saying is that even with the Dusk Shards, we can't defeat Dethl for good. It's only going to be sent back to where it came from?" Fuu asked.

At this, Shadow Link's grin widened deviously. "Sounds like y'all don't even know what Dethl is," he snickered, wagging a finger tauntingly.

Sheik's brows furrowed a bit, annoyed. It was true, they knew very little of Dethl, and the only reason they knew it existed was because of its one attack on Link when it had revealed its name. Other than that, they didn't know anything about it, much less what it looked like. They knew that it was no ordinary monster and therefore quite powerful, but until its recent attacks in succession after Vaati's defeat, they hadn't known how far its influence extended. Even with the recent attacks, however, its appearance still eluded them and no one knew what it was like.

Shadow Link enjoyed their ignorance for a bit before he explained, babbling on hurriedly in what seemed like a determined effort to appear helpful, "Dethl is Nightmare incarnate. All of those bad dreams you have that make you wake up in a cold sweat? Most of the time that's Dethl's influence. It's infinite, and it doesn't die. It doesn't even have a physical form that you can stab a sword through. Well, I guess that's only partially true. Master Vaati summoned it to this world first, letting it kind of have a body of sorts. Dethl and I, we're both shadow creatures, in that our physical forms are a little… flimsy? Like I can't keep up this appearance for too long without needing to go back into the floor to be a… a shadow for a while." He noted Impa's expression of surprise. "Yeah, I don't just disappear into walls because it's fun, although that's a part of it. Anyway, you can't kill Dethl. You can try, but it'll just come back over and over again. Your best bet is to send it back home with the Dusk Shards."

 _A monster that can't be truly defeated,_ Sheik thought, turning over the new information about Dethl in his head. _What a troublesome creature you've unleashed upon us, Vaati_. He glanced over towards Impa who also seemed to be weighing their options. "What do you think, Impa?" he asked.

Realizing that they were going to come to some kind of conclusion on what to do about him soon, Shadow Link made one last ditch effort to demonstrate goodwill. "Let me help, yeah?" he interjected, approaching the three Sheikah imploringly, "I'm trying to do a good thing here. I'll tell you exactly which of the dungeons you need to go to in order to find the last two pieces. I know exactly where you have to look in these dungeons to find the shards. Without me you'll waste months bumbling around the dozens of dungeons throughout Hyrule, and then even more months trying to find the right chamber that hides the shards. Y'all need me. You're running out of time."

Impa glanced back at Sheik as well, and for a moment Fuu thought there was some kind of unspoken understanding between them. "Where are the last two shards?" Impa asked Shadow.

"Well maybe I'll tell you if you promise not to kill me first?" Shadow returned. He backed away slightly when Impa walked over. Impa was a fairly tall individual, and it was intimidating when she leaned over towards Shadow.

"I don't think you understand your position," she said, her voice laced with a warning. "Where are the last two shards?"

Shadow stared back into her eyes, and he almost wavered but he held his ground. He gave one last sneer of determination. "Hmph. I'm not gonna just tell you."

"Tell us where the shards are, Shadow."

The voice cut through the air like a whip, and everyone turned to look at Fuu who had spoken. It had been impatient, and cold like steel. Shadow Link, who had managed to hold his composure even under Impa's scrutiny, betrayed something like fear as his grin broke and vanished. For a brief second it almost looked like he was going to get down on one knee like a servant before his lord, but he stopped, remembering himself. Sheik didn't blame him: the way Fuu said those words just now was eerily like Vaati's tone. Of course it couldn't be helped since Fuu actually _was_ Vaati. Shadow Link turned away, speaking in a low voice, "… The Fire Temple in the Goron Mountains. The last one is the Desert Temple by the Gerudo village."

"The Desert Temple?" Sheik asked, "We were just there days ago. We didn't see any shards then."

"To the left when you first enter the temple is a wall with a carving of an eye, similar to what Fuu should have seen at the Water Temple," Shadow replied, his voice still quiet, "The shard is beyond that wall."

Impa nodded. "I see. Then it's decided. We make our way to both temples immediately. Sheik," she gave a nod towards the blond. No sooner had she done so, Sheik dashed forward on signal, his hands flashing with white magic. Shadow Link fell backwards in surprise by the sudden attack, and he fell hard on his back as his hands were bound together with Sheik's magic.

"Wh-?" Shadow began, but he couldn't finish his sentence when he saw the gleam of a dagger arching through the air towards his head.

 _Shing!_

A bead of sweat rolled off of Shadow Link's nose, and he dared to blink. Twice. He brought a hand to his neck to make sure his head hadn't been lopped off. It wasn't. His blue eyes raised slowly upwards, and they widened when he saw Fuu holding off Sheik's dagger with a dagger of his own.

The daggers shook as they pressed against each other. Fuu glared behind their silver gleam. "What do you think you're doing?" he hissed, his eyes narrowing.

The metal clanged as Sheik jumped back to disengage. He spun his dagger once to readjust his hold, and then pointed it again at Shadow Link who was hiding behind Fuu. "He told us everything we need to know. The fact still stands that he's a danger. We can't keep him here."

"There's no need to kill him!" Fuu shot angrily. "If you really needed to, you can keep him in the dungeons-"

"We cannot, unfortunately," Impa interrupted. "Sheik's magical binds is one of the few things that can trap a shadow, but he cannot keep it up for more than a day."

"His dealings so far have been honest. To deceive him like that-"

"We promised him nothing. No deceit was involved," Sheik cut him off this time. His voice was stern, but it contained hints of sympathy. "I take no pleasure in what I have to do," he said quietly, "but we are still at war." He looked back at the other's burning red eyes, and thought about the irony of the situation. Princess Zelda of all people was being confronted by the former Sorcerer of Winds, a notoriously merciless individual in his past life, for trying to eliminate a potential threat. Sheik bit his cheek; it was shameful, really. _But it has to be done._

"If you go through with this, I will never forgive you," Fuu snarled.

"Then what would you have us do?" Sheik demanded. "By the time he betrays us it will be too late."

"I'll take responsibility for his actions. If he tries anything," Fuu said, his expression contorted into one of terrible determination, "then I will kill him myself, and Hyrule can do with me what it wills for reparation."

The tension was stifling, and neither of them moved for a while with their daggers pointed at each other. Behind Fuu, Shadow Link was looking at him with a sort of dazed awe. "Master Vaati…" he mouthed quietly, forgetting that it was Fuu who stood between him and Sheik.

For a few moments it looked as though Impa would have to intervene to force a conclusion to the situation, but Sheik finally lowered his dagger. There was a collective sigh as everyone visibly relaxed, their shoulders lowering and the edges of their eyes softening. Sheik put his weapon away and glanced towards Impa for a confirmation. When Impa nodded solemnly, he turned back towards Fuu. "Here," he said, and extended a fist towards the former sorcerer. It took Fuu a few seconds to understand what it meant, and he, too, sheathed his weapon. Their secret handshake.

"You remember what I told you, yes?" Sheik asked as they clasped each other's hands firmly. Fuu nodded silently. He remembered Sheik telling him about the handshake on top of the roofs of castle town a few days ago. _It means I choose to trust you,_ he remembered Sheik saying, _It means that I am sorry._ "I wonder where your faith in him will take us?"

"Our victory," Fuu replied, without any hint of doubt. So confident was he that it sounded like there was no other possible outcome. He turned on his heel towards Shadow Link who was still sitting on the floor, his hands cuffed together and a blank, incredulous look on his face. "Release him," he commanded, and Sheik complied hesitantly. Then, he extended a hand towards the dark haired teen, who took it timidly as he stood up. "Don't disappoint me," Fuu warned Shadow with a chilling glare. Shadow Link nodded earnestly, still dumbfounded by what had happened, and then scuffled after Fuu who left the room with a nod and a brief "I'm tired. It's still my day off, right?"

Sheik and Impa watched the door creak closed. Sheik sighed, and then scratched his head. He hadn't expected Fuu to passionately stop his attack like that, but he was also more surprised by how suddenly obedient Shadow Link had become the moment Fuu had become assertive. Maybe they could keep some control over Shadow Link after all. "Thoughts, Impa?" he asked.

"Admittedly I am relieved that no blood was shed today, especially by your hand," Impa replied heavily, "Unfortunately our task has now doubled."

Sheik nodded. Not only did they have to keep an eye on Fuu, but on Shadow Link as well. Fuu was more manageable since he was at least predictable, but the same could not be said of Shadow Link. At the very least, what occurred just now demonstrated that Shadow Link did seem to be more willing to listen to Fuu. Maybe there was some truth to what Shadow Link claimed after all. Sheik's hand touched the hilt of his dagger. "Impa, do you think I did the right thing?" he asked quietly. "Did I just endanger us all?"

Impa walked over placed a hand over Sheik's. "Even if you're disguised, you are still Princess Zelda to me, Sheik. At times you have no choice, but your hand is not meant to end lives." When Sheik raised his head, she smiled encouragingly, "You placed friendship over wrath. There is no shame in that."

Sheik tried to smile, but it was somewhat bitter. He couldn't help but be reminded for the second time within the last hour of what Shadow Link had said at the Water Temple. _Friends don't lie the way you do_. "Thank you, Impa," he finally said, "I hope you are right."

* * *

fleets: Ahh, the explanatory chapter. For any story I write, I always kind of hate writing them, but I haven't really found a way around them. I don't really have much else to say. My hope is that the chapter can speak for itself.

 **Flufux:** No problem! :)  
I liked writing that part too! I usually 'see' scenes before I write them out (apparently I space out a lot when I do this haha) and I actually had a similar vision of sorts like Vaati/Fuu did (the tricky bit was putting it all down on paper... er, screen).  
As for Dethl, my biggest fear right now is that I'm going to build it up so much that it's entrance is going to be a disappointment from the overhype :O

 **AquilaMage:** I noted you already, but I just want to say again thank you so much for the advice! It really helps to hear what readers are picking up on :D

 **Serpent Tailed Angel:** I cracked up and lol'd so hard when I read your message. lmao I didn't even realize that could be taken in that way XD (pfffftsnort)

 **Cattycheeno:** This whole story is about trust and betrayal so those two themes are going to get hammered down quite a bit. And hurray! I wasn't sure how many people would catch that, and I was planning on noting it if no one figured it out before then :D The title 'demonbound' does indeed apply to both Fuu _and_ Sheik :3  
Yup, that's a Vaati memory, though a distorted one at that :)

 **Vesperupus:** Good catch! I actually discussed this a bit in chapter 6 when Sheik and Fuu run away to Castle Town. Twinrova had assumed that he wouldn't remember how to cast any spells, but Sheik deduced that Fuu's abilities are ingrained, just like how magic is intuitive to demons (while most Hylians have to learn/memorize it). I don't go into detail, but my idea here is that the Wishing Cap gave Vaati the ability to cast spells instinctively.  
He can't cast all of his spells yet, though, because he still needs some kind of idea that he has that ability (here I'll cite my pet birds, who sometimes forget that they know how to fly since they're so used to waddling around the house). He just needs a bit of a push, or a trigger, to get him to remember his less obvious spells.  
And yeah, Twinrova messed up his memory pretty badly. You can assume that they did a really great job getting rid of anything related to his old life (which is part of why what Zelda/Impa agreed to is so horrifying). Aspects related to something like temperament, though, remains unchanged.

 **Fullmoon-senpie:** Haha and I didn't realize I would actually come back to writing. Welcome back! Thank you so so so much for your support it makes me so happy ;u;


	11. The Slumbering Mountain

fleets: i like updates. do you like updates? i hope you like updates!

* * *

 **Chapter 11: The Slumbering Mountain**

Fuu had trouble sleeping that night. Part of the problem was that he'd taken a nap immediately after he'd left Impa and Sheik at the castle, and when he'd woken up the sun had already set and he'd missed dinner. That wasn't all of it, however, because he couldn't help but think about what had happened at the Water Temple. No matter how many times he thought about it, it seemed like poor coincidence that he and Vaati were the only ones who could enter specific dungeons without setting off traps, and that only he and Vaati could open the doors with the eye carvings. Why would a Sheikah student like him have any kind of connection with the infamous wind mage?

He stared up at the ceiling as he lay in his bed, waiting for some kind of epiphany that never came. As much as he'd looked forward to lying around in bed doing absolutely nothing before the morning's mess had started, he found no sort of relief now. He decided to continue staring at the ceiling with an annoyed frown until his body decided to get up. Eventually.

There was a rustle and a thud that came from somewhere to his left. Fuu slowly turned his head towards the source of the noise, and came face to face with a familiar shadow.

Shadow Link waved from the floor, where he'd spread some blankets and a pillow. "Hiya."

"How," Fuu asked slowly, "did you get in here." He began to wish he could go back to sleep.

"There's a crack under the door," Shadow Link replied.

"And what in Subrosia are you doing here," Fuu asked flatly.

Shadow Link shrugged, and he fluffed up his pillow. "No one gave me a place to stay after they kicked me out of the castle."

"Just ask-" Fuu started, but then he cut himself short. He'd been about to say "Ask Sheik," but he thought about the other Sheikah tilting his head slightly in a taunting way and saying with that unflinching expression, "You said that he's your responsibility." No, no, Fuu wasn't going to go through that. "Go sleep outside."

"Oh come on! I barely take up any space. I'll stay in this corner," Shadow Link objected, lying on the blankets anyway and pulling the covers over his face.

With a loud, exasperated sigh and a snap of his fingers, Fuu sent Shadow Link's covers flying off to the other side of the room. "I like my privacy. Get out."

"Pleeaaase I'll sleep in the closet if I have to Master Vaati, just don't make me sleep outside in the sun."

"I'm not your master!" Fuu snapped, wide awake now.

Shadow Link scratched his head. "Oh yeah."

Fuu muttered under his breath as he flopped over onto his stomach to stare at the wall instead. He tried his best to ignore Shadow Link as the doppelganger shuffled off to grab his bedcovers again. In the darkness, Fuu could barely hear him as he moved around the room. It was actually impressive how well Shadow Link could see in the dark, since even the faint moonlight from outside was mostly blocked off with the window shades. He thought about what Shadow Link had said. "The sun bothers you?" he asked, curiously now. He glanced over to the barely visible outline of Shadow Link on the floor. He saw the other teen's hat bobble up and down in a nod. After a few seconds of consideration, Fuu relented. "Ok. You can sleep in the closet."

There was a disappointed pause, before Shadow Link asked, "Uhhh, can I sleep not-in-the-closet and sleep out here, instead?"

"Nope, you suggested it. Closet."

Fuu could practically hear Shadow Link rolling his eyes in the dark. Vaati's former servant stood up with a grumble, and began to drag his blankets towards the closet on the other side of the room. "You're like, the cooler Master Vaati who's slightly less cool than the cool Master Vaati," he grumbled.

"Deal with it."

Shadow Link disappeared into the closet, and there was a bit of grunting and some banging accompanied by an "ow" from some objects falling in the closet. After a while, there was an exclamation from the doppelganger. "Hey, this closet is actually pretty roomy."

"They repurposed the barracks into a single quarter. That used to be where they kept spare armor and weapons," Fuu explained.

"Nice," Shadow said approvingly, and there was a few more banging and moving about as he made some space to lie down. Soon enough, however, there was silence again, and Fuu was left to his own thoughts. It wasn't a good place to go back to, since his thoughts were only filled with doubt and confusion. He couldn't help but feel that Sheik wasn't telling him everything, especially regarding Vaati. The sorcerer… interested him. After all, he had been some kind of super powerful being, almost like a god from what his memories vaguely informed him. Where had he come from, and what had driven him to such destruction? Was it some hatred for Hyrule, or something else? Fuu had tried asking Sheik more about the wind mage, but he'd always evaded his questions.

"Shadow," Fuu spoke to the darkness. He heard a rustle from the closet as Shadow Link shifted positions. "Tell me what Vaati was like."

It was quiet for several seconds, and Fuu wondered if Shadow Link had already gone to sleep. Just as he was about to pull the covers over his head to try and get to sleep himself, he heard the other boy's voice drift pensively through the closet doors.

"I respected him," Shadow Link said. "I didn't like him, and he wasn't always someone you wanted to be around, but he commanded respect. I think a lot of the more powerful monsters envied him for that, actually."

"You said that I was like him." In the dark, Fuu reached up to the ceiling, looking at his hands.

He heard Shadow Link chuckle lightly. "You do. Kind of, but not really. Both of you have this… thing."

"Thing?"

"Yeah, something that makes people follow you. You have a presence – people listen to you."

At this, Fuu laughed, skeptical of Shadow's claims. "Ha! Tell that to Sheik."

"But you stopped him today," he said, stopping Fuu's bitter laugh. The Sheikah was staring at the closet, surprised by Shadow's words. "He was going to kill me, and it had been non-negotiable," Shadow Link was oddly quiet now, not like how Fuu had seen him when they'd first met. "You stopped him, though. Vaati had that presence, too. He could make people listen even before he lifted a finger to hurt them. Vaati never bluffed. I don't think you do, either. You believe what you say, even if what you say is sometimes stupid."

"Thanks… I guess?" Fuu said, not really sure if that was a compliment or not. "Why do you keep calling me the cooler Vaati, though?"

At this, Shadow Link laughed bitterly. "Vaati wasn't feared for nothing, you know. What does it take to get the most powerful monsters in the world to fear you?" Then, he added ominously, "Like I said before, Vaati never bluffed. Take that as you will."

It sounded as though Shadow Link was becoming increasingly uncomfortable about answering this particular line of inquiry, so Fuu left him alone to think about this new knowledge for a bit. Vaati sounded awful, but to be honest he was intriguing. He thought he could understand what Shadow Link meant when he said that, though Shadow didn't particularly like the sorcerer of winds, he had a certain respect for him. Vaati sounded like someone who not only had the power rivaling a god's, but the presence of one as well. Someone who went beyond the normal frailties of mortal man; he was so unlike Fuu. Vaati was certain and grounded in who he was, while Fuu was muddled and confused. Vaati was certain of himself and his words, while Fuu was filled with insecurities about not being strong or important enough. Vaati was despicable, but in a sense, he had everything Fuu wanted. Fuu cracked a grin, and he turned towards the closet. "So basically I'm the cooler Vaati because I'm his shittier double?"

There was a snort, and then a howl as Shadow Link cracked up in laughter. "Nailed it," he cried, and it sounded like he was choking in the closet.

It took some time for the two of them to catch their breaths again. Eventually, with a few hiccups here and there, Fuu went back to staring at the ceiling soberly. "I've had this thought for some time now, and I was wondering what you thought of it," he started slowly, after they had calmed down again. He took Shadow Link's silence as a sign that he was listening, and continued, "I actually had this thought when I first opened the hidden door in the Water Temple. When I touched the carving of the eye, I had a weird… vision of sorts."

"Weird," Shadow's voice floated from the closet again. "I've taken a look there before myself, and I never had any kind of vision."

"It helped me remember a certain spell, and that spell was used to open the door. Vaati and I are the only ones who can enter the dungeons. I think," Fuu's eyes narrowed in the darkness, "I have the same kind of magic as Vaati does."

There was a pause from Shadow Link, as though he were wondering about what to say. He eventually decided to be honest. "Yeah. You're right."

"I also started "remembering" all of these new spells _after_ I had my memories mucked up by Vaati. From what little I can remember, I don't seem to have known how to use magic at all until I woke up at the Gerudo camp. This all points to one conclusion," Fuu said, determination in his voice now.

Shadow Link didn't say anything. In the confines of his closet space, he bit his cheek, wondering if his indoctrinated master had finally figured out what had happened to him. For his own reasons, he didn't really want Vaati to learn about his past, and he began to fear that he'd been too careless about obliging Fuu's questions.

"When Vaati messed up my memory, he… he must have _affected_ me somehow," Fuu concluded.

 _What the dodongo dung?_ Shadow Link blinked. He'd braced himself for the worst, but Fuu had taken the conversation into a completely unexpected direction. From the other side of the closet doors, he heard Fuu's voice wonder aloud nervously.

"What if… what if Vaati wasn't actually dead? He might have infected me, and is waiting for the right time to take over my mind. You know, like a parasite or something."

"Ahahahahahaha!" Shadow Link wheezed, clutching his sides. _So close to the truth and yet oh so very far!_

"What? I'm being serious!" Fuu snapped irritably at the laughing shadow.

"I'm dying," Shadow Link wiped the tears from his eyes, "buddy, that's why I like you so much better than Master Vaati." He snickered some more before he finally caught his breath, aware that making Fuu annoyed might result in him losing his sleeping space once again. "It's nothing. Nothing at all. You're right, I don't know why that was so funny." he said between snorts.

Fuu ignored the snickering coming from the closet. He mumbled unhappily, a little miffed by Shadow Link laughing at something he was seriously concerned about. "I thought you'd know something about it since you were so close to Vaati. I think Sheik might be hiding something about it, but I want to trust him."

Shadow Link stopped laughing, and there was quiet from the closet again. He readjusted himself a little, pushing away a jacket that was hanging too close from his face. When he spoke next, it was almost solemn. "Heh. Don't trust that blondie. In fact, I'm going to give you a little advice because I like you, and I think you're cool," Fuu heard him say. "Don't trust anyone. Not Sheik, and not me. You can only trust yourself."

Fuu frowned. "Why do you say that?" he wondered. It gave him pause to wonder, and he had a feeling that Sheik was, indeed, hiding something from him, but he wanted to believe that he could trust him. He brought a hand to his face and looked at it wonderingly before he slowly curled it into a fist. _It means I choose to trust you._ His frown deepened. How could he not trust Sheik?

In the dark of the closet, Fuu couldn't see Shadow Link's expression. It was a knowing grin, one that invited caution. Shadow Link winked in the darkness. "Because people will only betray you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was back to training again for the next three days. Impa was conspicuously absent, which meant that Sheik was now the one to head Fuu's training. It was mostly endurance training, as well as precision training. They'd abandoned bows for Fuu since he was pretty pathetic with them, but they'd discovered that he was pretty good at dagger throwing, especially when he used wind magic for pin-point precision aiming. Fuu had hoped that Sheik would be a little more understanding about waking up at the crack of dawn, but unfortunately the blond Sheikah stuck with routine. It didn't help that Shadow Link often kept him awake at night, asking inane questions and being irritatingly chatty in general.

Fuu was fairly sleep deprived by the third day. Shadow Link, on the other hand, was completely unaffected since he never trained with them, saying it was tedious and boring.

Day four rolled around. Fuu woke up when he felt the sun slowly burning his eyelids. Still half asleep, he cursed whoever forgot to shut the window curtains last night to block out the morning sun. His eyes fluttered open, annoyed at first, and then panicked. The sun was already up above the rooftops, which meant that he'd somehow overslept. He looked around wildly for an arrow of some kind, which usually forced him awake if he'd overslept. No such arrow was to be found.

 _Is there no training today?_ Fuu wondered, still trying to shake away the morning grogginess. He stretched his arms, sat hunched over on the bed for a few minutes as he wondered if he should even bother getting up, and then plopped back onto the bed when he figured he didn't feel like getting up yet.

No sooner had he done so, there was a knock on the door. "Fuu? It's Sheik."

Fuu scowled at the door on the far side of the room as he still lay in his bed. He groaned loudly in response and then flopped over, facing his back to the door.

"I just wanted to tell you that you need to get ready to leave in fifteen minutes."

A louder groan this time, along with incomprehensible gibberish. Fuu climbed out of bed and, still in his robes, stormed over to the door, slamming it open. "If you want me to help you hide again," Fuu started, but Sheik shook his head.

"Impa came back from her errand. She's done making preparations to leave. We're going to be gone for two or three days. We'll be leaving soon, so get ready."

"Uhhh, what? Leaving for where?" Shadow Link appeared, rubbing his eyes sleepily and stumbling behind Fuu. He blinked, noticing Sheik, and then gave a tired wave. "Hiya Sheik."

Fuu gave a "don't ask," sigh when Sheik raised a questioning eyebrow towards Shadow Link behind him. "I'm going to hazard a guess that we're either going to the Gerudo village or to the Gorons?" he asked.

"Yes. We're going to Death Mountain. Get changed, and bring your weapons. We've already prepared everything else," Sheik confirmed. "You too, Shadow."

At this, Shadow Link perked up. He rubbed his hands together excitedly. "So you finally need me to help you again, huh?"

"We're leaving for the second Dusk Shard."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The three of them met with Impa by the castle stables, and they left for Death Mountain on horseback. Each saddle was equipped with extra luggage with provisions and water to last them during their absence from Hyrule. As for weapons, Sheik had brought a bow, Fuu brought nothing but his daggers, and Shadow Link brought nothing at all, saying he had more than enough weapons on his person already. Impa had what Fuu thought was the most impressive weapon: a gigantic two-handed greatsword that was almost as tall as her and just as wide. Fuu had never actually seen Impa fight, but he secretly hoped they would run into trouble so he could see how she used such an outrageous blade.

It took them about an additional twenty minutes to saddle up and leave. They ran into brief trouble with Shadow Link when his presence made the horses skittish, but they eventually got them to calm down. Before long, they were making their way through the vast Hyrule field and towards Death Mountain, where the Gorons lived.

"… and he makes me sleep in the closet, how inhumane is that?"

Fuu shook his head, annoyed, while Shadow Link recounted to Sheik all of the horrible things he'd had to endure while sharing the same roof with him over the past few days.

"You don't have anywhere else to stay?" Fuu heard Sheik ask.

"I'm his responsibility now, aren't I?"

Another eye roll, and Fuu distanced himself from what he judged was an idiotic conversation. Instead, he caught up with Impa, who was riding a few feet ahead to lead the way to Death Mountain. The warrior's eyes never left their destination since they'd stepped foot outside of the castle gates. Fuu looked up at the imposing mountain, a veritable wall of rock that appeared to endlessly reach up into the skies. He had to admit that he was a little excited about the prospect of exploring the impressive mountain. His memory vaguely told him that he knew of this place and of its strange mountain inhabitants, but none of those memories were clear. He couldn't remember in what context he had visited here before, so everything was basically new to him.

He wondered if he'd been as awestruck by the mountain the first time as he was now.

"We're almost there," he heard Impa say as their horses began to gallop up the rocky path that led upwards away from the fields.

Those three words would have been innocent enough to most people, but Fuu was particularly good at catching nuances in tone, and he noticed that the way Impa said those words just now had a faint tremor of dread. He looked at her questioningly. "You're expecting trouble?" he asked.

At this, Impa returned a rare smile. "You are perceptive," she looked at him with approval, but the smile didn't last very long. Their horses slowed when the road was blocked by a tall vertical wall of rock. They dismounted, and tied their horses to a convenient pole next to it. "This is the entrance to the Goron village but…" she paused, looking up at the top of the wall for signs of movement, "no one is here."

Now Fuu was frowning as he looked up at the face of the wall. It never boded well if there was no sign of the people you were expecting. He followed after Impa who began to climb the rope ladder that hung from the rocks to the left. Shadow Link came after them, and Sheik took the rear.

Fuu knew that something was terribly wrong the moment he saw Impa reach for her greatsword as soon as she'd cleared the top of the wall. He hurried to reach her, pulling himself up for two more rungs before he teleported the rest of the way up. He, too, reached for his weapons at the sight before him. _What happened here?_

Shadow Link popped up in the air next to them, followed by Sheik. The doppelganger let out a long whistle, saying "Well, guess we found the Gorons."

Indeed, they had found them. Dozens of them lay on the ground as far as the eye could see, none of them moving. None of them awake. Some of them had seemingly collapsed on their way somewhere, such as a merchant who had fallen in the middle of the path with his goods still strapped to his back. The rocky creatures, normally holding an expression of pride and big-hearted welcome, now had faces that were tense or contorted into a grimace, as though they had seen a nightmare.

Impa walked over to one of the fallen Gorons cautiously, a lumbering individual who appeared to be one of the entrance guards. She checked for breathing, and then placed a hand on his face. She tapped his face once, and then harder a second time, but the Goron didn't wake. "They're alive, only sleeping," she announced, "but they show no signs of waking."

"Impa, isn't this," Sheik began, but was interrupted by Shadow Link.

"Dethl. It's Dethl," the dark teen laughed nervously. A look of unease came over Shadow Link as he turned from one unconscious Goron to the next. With an apologetic smile, he suddenly vanished within Fuu's shadow.

"Shadow Link!" Fuu exclaimed, but Impa motioned for them to follow.

"Leave him for now. Let's find out what happened here."

Fuu frowned at the dark silhouette under his feet, and as though in confirmation, a Link-shaped Shadow briefly emerged from his own shadow on the ground and gave him a hasty wave before vanishing again.

The three of them, plus one shadow in hiding, pressed onwards carefully, watching their backs as they made their way through the silent village. The scene was the same no matter how far they made their way into the village: dozens of Gorons lay fallen in an unwaking slumber as though interrupted from their daily routines without warning. They eventually reached a narrow path that was shadowed by rocky cliffs on both sides, which then opened up into a clearing. Geysers erupted from the cracks on the ground, and the sparkling water vapor cast rainbows in the air. Beyond the clearing was a cliff face that reached upwards to the summit of Death Mountain, hundreds of feet above them through the clouds.

Along this rock wall was some kind of entrance with proud stone pillars lining the side, but the entrance was blocked off with what looked like a rockslide. Large boulders blocked the way to the cave entrance. In front of it, however, was the first sign of movement that they had seen since they had arrived at the ghostly Goron village.

It was a single Goron child, banging on the rocks blocking the way into the cave. The boy banged on the boulders rhythmically with his tough, rocky fists.

"Hey!" Fuu started running towards the child first, but was stopped abruptly by a firm hand around his wrist. He turned towards Impa questioningly, wondering why she'd stopped him, and then he noticed how tense she appeared as she watched the child like she might a venomous snake.

The commotion caught the child's attention, and he slowly turned around to look at them, although he continued to hit the boulders with his fist. It was then that Fuu noticed that something was horribly wrong; the child was moving as though he were awake, but his eyes were closed and unseeing. "Help me clear the way," the boy said in a strangely level voice, his fists hitting the boulders with a rhythmic thump. "My friends are trapped inside."

"Fuu," Sheik whispered slowly as his fingers twitched towards the bow hanging from his back, "use the Lens of Truth. Hurry."

Fuu understood what he had to do, and he reached inside his bag for the Sheikah artifact that he'd recovered from the Water Temple a few days ago, when they'd run after Shadow Link. He brought the purple framed lens, shaped into the Sheikah symbol of a tear-dripped eye, up towards the eerie child in front of them who was still banging on the wall.

"Please help me open the way."

Fuu squinted into the lens. At first, it seemed as though it revealed nothing more than what they could already see: a Goron child hitting the rockslide, asking for help to clear the path. However, the view through the lens buzzed with interference, and what he could see through the lens was no longer a Goron child, but some kind of murky cloud. He squinted harder, and the cloud began to take shape, slowly, gradually…

" _HahAHAhaHaHAhahaHA!"_

Fuu flinched backwards, accidentally throwing the Lens of Truth away from him in surprise. Before he'd lost the lens, however, he'd caught a brief glimpse of what the Goron boy in front of him truly was. He'd seen a charcoal black cloud as dark as a hellish abyss draped over the boy. The cloud had appeared alive, as it twitched and pulsed, tendrils flickering in and out of its core.

What had surprised him, however, was that the cloud had _looked_ at him. There had been eyes. Dozens and dozens of blank, pupiless black eyes.

Even as he recovered, he could still hear the demonic chorus of laughter ringing in his ears, and he was disturbed to find that the laughter was coming from the little boy, still banging away on the boulder. Without warning, the boulders blocking the entrance to the cave began to crack, and the ground began to quake as though an army of hundreds were banging back from the other side of the boulders.

 _Oh no. Ohhh no._ Fuu thought, as he stared at the cracks along the boulders becoming larger and larger. An insect-like claw burst through one of the cracks, the rocks crumbling as whatever creature it belonged to tried to punch through.

" _Our friends are trapped inside,_ " the Goron child, now speaking in a terrible, demonic voice laughed as the boulders began to break, " _They need to be fed."_

With that, there was an explosion of rock as whatever it had held inside the cave broke free.

* * *

fleets: You guessed right if you guessed Dethl :D (i'm screaming with excitement but I'm pretending to be calm for your sanity).

I also really enjoyed writing Shadow and Fuu in the first section of the chapter. It's a real shame I'm not writing a ship-fic this time around (no official ships will be included in this story, though imagining any is all up to you) because I think I can make a ship work between any main character if I really wanted to. There's just so much good set up I can include everywhere ugh (Sheik/adow? Sheik/Vaati? Vaazel? Zelimpa? Sheikimpa? hmmm, maybe not Shadimpa or Vaatimpa, that would be trickier).

En Eee Way Anyway, I'm having all sorts of fun writing this story, I hope you guys are enjoying reading it :) Thank you so so so much for your support!

 **Sub Zero Chimera:** Post-demonbound Vaati is rolling in his metaphorical grave from being unofficially known as Lord Fluuffy XD

 **AquilaMage:** Hahaha that wasn't something that was planned originally, but ended up getting included when I thought "what would Fuu do if left alone in a dungeon all by himself?" XD  
It actually connected nicely with what happened this chapter.  
Figuring out what's truth and what's not in what Shadow Link is saying is going to be pretty tricky to figure out. It's hard because I keep having to stop myself from revealing too much about him right now lol. I promise it'll be clear when we get to... the part where everything is made clear :P

 **icfehr** : Hello, and thank you so much for reading! :D :D :D Hmm that's a really interesting take on Vaati's magic, and magic in general! I like it :D I didn't think that far regarding magic for this particular story :O  
In this particular story world, Vaati's magic is similar to other monsters', in that it's more innate than learned (like wizzrobes, those eye monsters like Froststare, floating fire enemies like Bubbles, wallmasters). Because of this, he still knows how to cast some spells even though his memories have been compromised by Twinrova.

 **Lunamew:** Exactly XD I wasn't sure if I should build that up (make it more obvious) or not, but I couldn't find a way to include it in dialogue naturally. Writing Fuu and Shadow are super fun right now though, I like writing them more than I thought I would.

 **Serpent Tailed Angel:** What is he thinking indeed? (it's 100 levels of hard right now, trying to keep my mouth shut regarding Shadow haha).  
Fuu can be pretty imposing at times. While Twinrova managed to clear his head of key memories, his base personality (or maybe aura? not sure how to put it) that made Vaati, well, _Vaati_ , is still there somewhere. Of course he still acts like a trusting cutie sometimes because he has no memories of experiencing betrayal. Yet.


	12. Endless Questions

fleets: It just occurred to me that not everyone might be familiar with Dethl since it's one of the most underappreciated bosses in LoZ. It's the main antagonist of the hearbreakingly beautiful game, Link's Awakening. We know very little about the boss except that it loves making people suffer through nightmares.

I'm sorry this chapter was a little later than my other ones: I just reaaaaally dislike writing fight scenes. Ick.

Also classes have officially resumed for me again. That, and I started playing Fallout 4 (it's amazeee). Therefore, expect my updates to become more erratic.

Chapter title refers to what I was dealing with while trying to come up with an appropriate chapter title (crying)

* * *

 **Chapter 12: Endless Questions**

The rocks that had blocked the cave entrance shattered into pieces as the creatures trapped inside burst through. The ground shook as monsters poured forward, swarming around them. Sheik reacted quickly, swinging a chain that discouraged the wave of monsters from advancing before he shot a volley of arrows to the middle of the crowd. "Fuu!" he shouted, "Get the Gorons out of here!"

It took a moment for Fuu to understand what Sheik was saying. Several Gorons were on the ground, vulnerable, in the area around them. The Goron boy who had been laughing ominously with Dethl's demonic voice had since collapsed to the ground, the nightmare creature apparently having left him. While the Gorons were there, it was impossible for any of them to fight against the wave of monsters to their full abilities without risking harm on the Gorons as well. Gritting his teeth, he rushed forward to the ones that were most in danger from the monsters. He teleported to each one individually, warping them away towards the entrance of the clearing as fast as he could. "Shadow Link, help them hold off the monsters," Fuu ordered as he lifted one of the unconscious Goron's heavy arms around his shoulders to teleport them away. The doppelganger popped out from his shadow, and then he gave a small salute before he ran off.

"You got it!"

Meanwhile, Sheik and Impa were doing their best trying to keep the waves of monsters from swarming everything. A flashbang went off with a pop, blinding some Tektites that had leapt towards Sheik. The four-legged, insect-like creatures that were the size of a large dog shrieked, skittering away. Impa closed in and sliced them in half with her great sword before she slashed down a towering one eyed ogre-like monster, a Hinox, that had lumbered over to her with its fists ready to crush her down. A group of Gibdos staggered to their knees by a rain of arrows that pierced their legs, and Sheik dropped down from the air where he had reappeared, a bow in hand. However, several more Tektites leapt towards him, their many sharp teeth visible on the underside of their stomach.

Sheik braced himself for the attack, but the monsters were struck down by Shadow Link's blade. Shadow Link then jumped up to intercept a bomb that a Hinox had thrown at them, and tossed it back into the swarming monsters. It cut down their numbers significantly, but they continued to crawl out of the cave on the side of the mountain.

"There's too many of them…" Sheik said as he barely dodged a charging Gibdo. The creature was cut in half by Impa's blade, but another one quickly replaced it. It was as though no matter how many they struck down, there were always more. The three of them alone couldn't handle this many monsters at once. "We have to get out of here." _And more importantly,_ he thought as he scanned the area, _where did Dethl run off to?_

" _Indeed, where did we go?"_

The voice was deep and powerful, and it echoed as though dozens of voices were speaking at once. It boomed imposingly and yet hissed with a menacing whisper at the same time. Dethl.

Sheik whirled around, searching from where the voice had come from, but Dethl was nowhere to be found. He shot another volley of arrows towards the approaching monsters and continued to look around cautiously.

" _Haha, we do not exist in the same world. Not yet. You cannot see us, not without that troublesome looking glass."_ Dethl answered with a chuckle, anticipating Sheik's question. " _And now a question for you. We wonder, what is the princess doing so far out here?"_

Sheik froze. _It sees through my disguise?_ His breathing quickened as he began to panic. No one could know of his disguise. If anyone found out… if Fuu found out…

"Sheik!" Impa blocked a blow from a rampaging Gibdo that had been aimed at Sheik's head. Her sword barely blocked the blow, and sent her and Sheik flying. "Sheik," Impa coughed as she struggled to her feet. She helped him up with concern on her face. "You lost focus. Is something the matter?"

" _Ah, but of course we see through your disguise. We are Nightmare incarnate, we can see your thoughts and fears. Such wonderful, wonderful fears,"_ Dethl taunted. _"And to think, Shadow Link a traitor. No matter, we have no interest in such things. Such silly trinkets cannot stop us."_

Sheik scowled. It knew about the Dusk Shards, too, but it didn't sound concerned about them. He couldn't help but wonder if that was something they should be concerned about. He needed to keep it talking, in the hopes that it would reveal something. After all, this was the first time anyone other than Link had direct contact with it, and they still knew very little about it.

"What… what are you after?" Sheik continued to look for some sign of the nightmare creature. For a brief moment, as he was getting back up on his feet, he thought he saw a flicker in his shadow, much like how shadows sometimes flickered when Shadow Link was there.

" _The Gorons were supposed to despair. Our minions, fed. Your appearance is most unwelcome."_ And now Sheik was certain that his shadow had moved in a way that it wasn't supposed to move. It twitched a little, as though it were annoyed. " _You will make it up to us, the despair. The fear. We will see to that."_

The voice went silent, and Sheik's shadow flickered once, like a snake had darted out of the brush, before it returned once more to normal. Sheik expected Dethl to do something to him, to begin a new attack, but it never came. The ominous lack of any sort of response from Dethl, after it had left with a promise that Sheik will "make it up to them," was almost worse than any kind of attack it could have done. Perhaps it had sensed that Sheik had wanted it to continue talking, and had decided to leave. At the same time, he couldn't shake off the feeling that Dethl had never intended to stay for long in the first place. But why?

Eventually, Sheik noticed that Impa had placed her hand on his shoulder with a concerned expression. He blinked, and then he stammered as he looked around worriedly, "Dethl… Dethl was…" he trailed off, and then he steeled his face. "We have to get out of here."

Suddenly, a loud explosion rocked the ground. All heads turned towards an enormous boulder breaking off from the cliff near the entrance to the clearing. It tumbled down with an earth shaking crash, and when the dust settled, the way from which they came from was blocked off.

Several monsters that had been rushing towards the three of them were suddenly knocked backwards by a forceful gale, and Fuu reappeared to join them. "Are you okay?" he noted Sheik who still looked a little shaken from his encounter with Dethl.

"I ran into Dethl," Sheik replied.

Fuu's brows furrowed, concerned. "Are you hurt?" When Sheik shook his head no, he appeared momentarily relieved before he smirked and waved a hand towards the rockslide. "The Gorons are safe behind that wall," he said, cracking his knuckles, "Now we can fight however we want, right? Nothing can get to them."

Sheik stared at him, dumbfounded. "You mean now we're trapped here with the monsters," he waved his dagger at the crowd of murderous creatures that had surrounded them.

Fuu looked around, at the dozens of growling, drooling things around him, and then smirked. Sheik had seen that same smirk before, when he'd found Fuu inside the Desert Temple with a massacre left behind his path. "I think you mean I've trapped _them_ here with _me_." He raised a hand, and there was a low hum as a powerful wind began to swirl quickly in his palm. Then, as a towering Hinox thundered its way towards them, Fuu flashed a grin. "I'm not letting them get away."

It was complete annihilation.

The violently spinning sphere of wind unleashed from Fuu's palm slammed into the group of monsters in front of them, and then it expanded into a roaring tornado that was nearly the entire width of the clearing they were in. It caught everything except for Sheik, Shadow Link, and Impa who were standing behind Fuu when the devastating spell had been summoned. Limbs and faces of terrified monsters went flying past them, swirling up wards into the merciless vortex. Sheik steadied himself against Impa: he'd seen this before, only the victims inside the vortex had not been monsters, but soldiers. Horrible memories came flooding back to him in flashes… the screaming, the smoke, the hands that reached out to him for help as they were sucked into the monstrous storm. He felt Impa squeeze his shoulder reassuringly. It was… it was fine. Fuu wasn't… wasn't Vaati. He was an ally. A friend?

He heard Shadow Link snicker next to him, the doppelganger was looking up at the destructive pillar of wind appreciatively. He summoned an enormous bomb, almost as large as a small house and painted with an image of a skull, and then tossed it into the vortex with a laugh. They watched the bomb swirl up to the sky before it unleashed a blinding flash and exploded. The shockwaves from the blast rattled the mountain walls and brightened the sky with bright red fire. The vortex eventually died down, leaving a cloud of dark purple smoke and a shower of crimson. The smoke was what was left of the dead monsters. The crimson rain, blood.

"Heheh, that was awesome," Shadow Link snickered. He glanced at Sheik and Impa, who had been watching the scene with a mix of horror and awe. "Glad he's on our side, yeah?" Shadow winked at them.

Suddenly, the mountain shook and roared, fire blazing through the cave entrance where the monsters had come from. Without warning, a gigantic worm-like creature with insect claws exploded from within, its hard shell glistening with molten lava. It leapt towards them with a shrill scream, its crushing pincers aimed form them. "Gohma!" Impa exclaimed.

Fuu didn't even bat an eye as he raised a single finger pointed towards the giant coming for them. "To Stone With You," he said calmly, and magic flashed from his fingertips. Within seconds, the threatening monster crackled into stone until it was nothing but an impressive looking statue.

"Yes," Sheik finally replied to Shadow Link's earlier question. "Yes I am."

It was a good thing that they were on the same side now. He would not want to fight against such devastating power again.

"Sheik? Are you sure you're okay? You still look really shaken."

Sheik looked up. It was Fuu. He appeared completely unconcerned about all of the violent carnage he'd just caused with a few hand motions, and seemed more worried about Sheik. Sheik nodded, and waved away Fuu who had his nose crinkled with skepticism that the other Sheikah was really fine.

It was a good thing that they were on the same side now. He would not want to fight against someone he might be able to consider a friend.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They had all expected Dethl to show itself at some point or other, but it never did. Sheik had been the only one it had made contact with during the battle, and no one could figure out what it intended to do after it had left with its warning that it will make sure they paid their due. They would undoubtedly encounter it again, but for now they were only left with the uneasy feeling that Dethl would return to attack them when they least expected it.

The entrance of the temple that held the Dusk Shard was actually where the monsters had crawled out of. Upon inspecting the entrance of the cavern, it appeared that the monsters had accidentally set off a trap that had caused the landslide, which blocked off their escape. Shadow Link was the one who had discovered this unfortunate detail, when he'd walked off ahead and pointed out the stone carving of the eye. As soon as he'd touched it, the temple trembled and rocks began to fall near the entrance. Thankfully, the worst of the landslide had already passed when the monsters had first set off the trap, and only a few small boulders blocked the way out.

They all agreed to let Fuu go on alone, lest they trigger far more dangerous traps. And that was how Fuu found himself completely alone in the heart of a volcano. Lava poured along the ground like a sluggish river, and the deep red glow lit up the temple interior. Well, to be frank, it was more like a cave rather than a temple: the manmade structures were few, such as the occasional steel beam or bridge, but most of the interior were natural formations. Like at the Water Temple, he didn't have to venture far to find the carving of the eye. Shadow Link had found it just straight through the entrance and across a lava pit. It was located on the left wall, just before the main caverns further inside.

Fuu observed it for a little while, like how one might watch a snake resting on a rock. While the snake may make no indication of being an active threat, it was clear that it would strike as soon as something provoked it. Fuu squeezed his fingers together, biting his lip uncertainly, before he finally pointed a finger at the carving like he'd done at the Water Temple and spoke the words, "To Stone With You."

There was a brief flash and the spell struck the carving, but nothing happened. It didn't really surprise him, however, since he hadn't gotten that strange feeling that the petrification spell was what was required for entry, like he'd had back at the Water Temple. Something else opened this particular door.

He sighed, his fingers opening and closing uncertainly. He had a feeling that he needed to touch the carving again to see the spell he would have to cast, but he didn't like the idea of it. Shadow Link had laughed at him when he'd told him about his worry about Vaati doing something to his head, but hadn't given him a straight answer on whether or not he'd been right. While he felt that his magic was his own, he also couldn't help but think that it was also Vaati's as well. Was it dangerous, then, to continue unlocking spells that were undoubtedly linked to the Sorcerer of Winds?

"Get a grip, Fuu," he muttered to himself, "You don't have a choice but to do this."

Slowly, he brought his hand up to the carving. This time, he was ready for the almost nauseous experience he'd had back at the Water Temple when he'd touched the carving for the first time. He leaned against the wall with one hand, and covered his face with another as dizziness hit him, and he slowly lowered himself onto his knees to prevent falling.

The flashes came. A vision. No, multiple visions. Multiple visions all at once, like the compound vision of a fly. Curiously enough, he could focus on all of them without being disoriented. In one he could see a vast field, somewhere in Hyrule. In another, a crystal lake, and another still, endless clouds. The visions changed, then, until every view focused on a figure standing on a broken platform, the sky above splitting from crackling lightning. The view was from various angles, so that he could see the mysterious figure from every direction. Even so, he couldn't get a clear view of the person he was watching. Perhaps it was a young boy, waving a sword.

Red. Red everywhere. Each view gleamed a burning red in quick succession, and the figure vanished to ash.

Fuu opened his eyes. He hadn't realized that he'd shut them so tightly, and he wasn't sure just how long he'd been crouching on the floor with one hand still trailing along the carving of the eye. "This is insane," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. The spell. He knew the spell that would open the path beyond, but he didn't want to do it. This spell, without a doubt, was proof that he had _everything_ to do with Vaati. Before he'd wondered if it was coincidence that he could walk into dungeons that only opened for the Sorcerer of Winds. With Shadow Link's appearance, he'd begun to suspect that Vaati might have done something to him when he'd messed up his memories, but a part of him had tried to be skeptical.

This spell. This spell undeniably linked him to Vaati. There was no possible way that he could have learned this spell unless Vaati had affected him somehow: this was Vaati's spell and no one else's.

At first he felt a little afraid. After all, he had no idea what this meant for him: would Vaati somehow suddenly come back and take over his mind? Was he still himself, the Fuu that he'd always known?

And then he'd frowned, because he didn't even know who or what Fuu had "always been." He couldn't remember a damned thing in detail since Vaati had messed up his memories, and as far as he could tell, he wasn't acting out of the ordinary.

Sheik knew. If anyone could tell him anything about himself, and what had happened when Vaati had done something to his head, it was Sheik. Sheik had been at the battle where the incident had happened, he had to know something. He'd tried to ask Sheik about the sorcerer before, but the blond always evaded him. It was obvious that Sheik didn't want to talk about the wind mage, for whatever reason, but he had to know.

Perhaps after they returned to Hyrule he'll confront Sheik about it, and finally get some answers.

Fuu sighed, and glowered at the carving of the eye. For the time being, he should hurry up and grab the Dusk Shard they had come here for. He shook his head in disbelief at the spell that had been revealed to him, before he raised a hand slowly. He snapped his fingers.

A small puff of cloud the size of a tangerine appeared in midair next to him. The cloud became more opaque, and took on a spherical form before it suddenly unraveled to reveal bat-like wings. Its single red eye popped open, and It stared back at Fuu with a curious glint.

"Ugly little bastard, aren't you?" he huffed, and the little creature shrunk away with an almost hurt look.

It was a strange feeling to summon the thing. It was almost like he'd extended a limb that he'd forgotten he'd had, and he had a vague sense that the thing could see his thoughts, and understand what he wanted it to do without saying a word. Fuu narrowed his eyes, still unsure if he liked it or not: after all, the creature was one of Vaati's famous spies. These sentry eyes had caused no end of trouble for Hyrule because of their ability to hide in small corners and observe everything that went on in the kingdom. He didn't know why he had the ability to summon these, and the only plausible conclusion he could come to was that he was, indeed, linked to the wind mage. "You follow everything I tell you, yes?" he asked aloud.

The eye returned a confused squint as though wondering why its master was asking the most obvious question in the world.

Fuu's eyes glowed a brighter shade of red briefly, and the sentry likewise glowed in turn. He could see through it. He could see everything it could see, and at will. The little spy then flew up towards the carving on the wall, and then its eye flashed brightly. Powerful lasers shot from its pupil, blasting the wall open and revealing the chamber inside. As the wall crumbled, the entire hall once again lit up with red eye symbols all along the floor and walls before they disappeared. He couldn't help but smile a little when the sentry eye flew towards his face like it was searching for approval. "Thanks, I guess…" he said, and then rolled his eyes as the thing zipped around him in what looked like happiness. "All right, all right, go outside and check on what Sheik and Shadow are doing or something," he shooed it away, still feeling uncomfortable about the spell that was just so… Vaati. As the sentry flew off towards the exit, he took a deep breath and turned towards the newly opened path.

Just like at the Water Temple, the Dusk Shard was within the chamber on a single pedestal. It had the irregular shape of a broken mirror, as though something had shattered it in pieces. As he picked it up in his hands, he couldn't help but think that there was something very odd about this shard. With a confused expression on his face, he reached into his bag for the first shard, and brought it together with the new one. The edges did indeed fit, suggesting that Shadow Link had spoken true about the fact that Vaati had broken the original Dusk Shard into pieces and scattered it around Hyrule. What didn't make sense, however, was the fact that there was only one piece left, and yet that didn't seem enough to complete the shards into its original form. Somehow he felt that there should be more of these shards that they needed to look for: three pieces would result in a larger Dusk Shard the size of a large dinner plate, but Fuu had a feeling that whatever the Dusk Shard had been was much, much larger. Still, Shadow Link insisted that only three were needed to defeat Dethl.

"I suppose I shouldn't expect answers from these temples, only questions, huh?" he wondered, looking back at the crumbled entrance where the carving of the eye had been.

Suddenly, he frowned as his focus shifted abruptly to the vision of the sentry he'd sent off earlier. The sentry had flown up to the sky, granting him an overhead view of the clearing where they had defeated Gohma and the monsters. The blocked path had been cleared, and the Gorons appeared to be safe and awake now that they were free from Dethl's influence. While the scene should have been welcome, what he saw concerned him. _What's going on?_ Fuu thought, hurriedly placing the two Dusk Shards into his bag. He began to quickly make his way out of the temple.

Shadow Link was nowhere to be found, undoubtedly hiding in a shadow again. Sheik and Impa, however, were surrounded by what looked like angry Gorons. The boulder-like locals of Death Mountain had created a large ring around the two Sheikah, and the largest one, their chief perhaps, almost looked ready to pound Sheik into the ground with his fists. Sheik was saying something earnestly to the Goron chief to appease him, but Fuu could see that the blond was at the edge of his patience from the way his shoulders were stiff and his posture slightly crouched. Fuu didn't understand what was going on: they had just saved the Gorons, so why were they being so hostile towards them?

As he ran to catch up to Sheik and Impa, he allowed the sentry eye to approach the crowd just a little bit more so he could hear what was being said.

"We want to protect the people as much as you do," he could hear Sheik saying.

"I don't care about your silver tongued words, shadow warrior! Your kind are not welcome here!"

He saw Impa step forward, her husky voice cutting in to the conversation. "You surprise me, Darunia. Is this how you treat those who helped you?"

"Help? No amount of help will let me forgive what you and those desert witches agreed to do. You Hylians endanger us all!"

Fuu ran faster. When he made it outside of the temple, he could see the gathering of Gorons around Impa and Sheik. Dismissing the sentry, he couldn't help but wonder just what it was this 'Darunia' was referring to. What had they done that was so terrible to anger the Gorons so?

* * *

fleets: Ok, so maybe that battle wasn't as epic as I made it out to be the last chapter, heh. Dethl's a different kind of villain than the ones I usually characterize (hmm maybe less flashy? less noisy?). This iteration of Dethl is very different from how it was originally presented in Rend, so try not to get too confused if you're a long time follower :). In Rend, Dethl wasn't super scary, and it was more of a trickster kind of character for a majority of its appearance. This time I'm going more for a real nightmare-esque characterization. I'm sorry if this battle was a little anticlimactic with Dethl just shuffling off to who-knows-where, but it'll all be clear. Soonish. And then everything will go boom.

I feel like this is a good time to post a warning for future chapters: this story will probably be a little more violent than stuff I usually write. I mean, what I usually write is super tame, so it's not like I'm going to suddenly go blood-everywhere-crazy. No hardcore gore, don't worry about that (unless you guys want that stuff then I can give it a whirl and bump the rating :O ). There's at least one scene upcoming very, very soon that may or may not be disturbing depending on how far I want to take it by the time I get there.

I'd originally planned this chapter to keep going until much later, but it was starting to get long... I think enough happened this time to cut it here D:

 **SubZeroChimera:** lol I mean, he's practically dead since he hasn't had any meaningful game appearances since forever (cries). And lol idk why I keep writing at ungodly hours. At least it's before midnight this time hahaha

 **Libra Chaos:** Shadow Link was by far my favorite character from the manga. I wish they'd made him return with a fleshed out character like that (rather than a generic enemy that looks like you). Thank you for the review! :D

 **icfehr:** I usually make up a bs story as I go along, and try to keep the illusion that it makes sense haha. I never thought of that before, that's true! Amazing that they don't break their little legs :O

 **Ai Star:** It's a little too soon for Vaati to go figuring out what happened to him since everything'll go pear shaped when he does (haha yeah he probably won't be too thrilled about losing to Zelda) XD oh what am I saying, things are already starting to look pear shaped anyway...

 **AquilaMage:** I'm sorry about being a tease, the Dethl reveal this chapter wasn't very epic lol... It's not really its big moment yet and its camera shy. It probably didn't have stage-worthy makeup on.  
I kind of feel bad as the omniscient author to make Fuu so completely clueless haha. And yes, I love them both! There wasn't enough of them in this chapter, but in the next few chapters for sure!

 **Guest:** Oh! What I meant by 'official' was 'official ship for this particular story' (yeah I don't think Nintendo has any official Zelda ships. That would cause quite an uproar...).  
I'm happy you liked where I went with it :) I was trying to find a good spot to introduce it, and it ended up being 11 chapters into the story :O

 **Flufux:** Aaaaand Dethl's gone. It wanted to troll the readers by being super anticlimactic. I've never watched that series D: but that does sound like what I'm going for with this characterization of Dethl! I wanted it to be as terrifying as I could make it this time (without stepping into the M rating), so hopefully I succeed!

 **Lunamew:** There really wasn't enough Fuu/Shadow banter this time, which makes me kind of sad. And yay, I succeeded then! My goal this time is to make a villain who's actually terrifying (since almost all of the bad guys in my other stories are fairly tame and not super scary). Thank you for your comment :)))


	13. Declaration

fleets: I am so in love with Fallout 4 I can't even a;skdfj  
Why, then, was I able to find the time to write this? Well... sadly for me, I am currently travelling and could not bring Fallout 4 with me (intense-sobbing).

Thank you so much for your support, everyone! It really brightens my day :D

* * *

 **Chapter 13: Declaration**

To say Vaati's defeat had been controversial was an understatement. After the battle, it was assumed by many that the sorcerer had died, as his body had seemingly vanished the moment Zelda's light arrow had hit him. It was not until after the battle when it was made clear that Vaati was still alive. Zelda, Impa, and Darunia had been summoned by the Gerudo witches after they the soldiers had settled down in their camps. Zelda remembered stepping into their tent at dusk, while all of the other soldiers were either eating dinner or preparing for their tired journey home. The leaders had isolated into a hushed corner of the camp, away from the tired but elated post-victory hubbub of the soldiers. She remembered her breath catching as she saw the limp, but very alive, body of Vaati spread out on the ground before the witches' feet, and she recalled the others taking a surprised step away beside her. All three of them had been infuriated that the two troublesome witches had dragged the sorcerer's body away during the chaos of battle, potentially endangering everyone in the camp.

But then, the two witches had made a case which gave Zelda some pause. Their crooked fingers waggling at her, they had asked, what would Hyrule do if they could turn Vaati into one of theirs, to fight for them, and to defeat any other monstrosities that might rise to take his now empty throne? It was inevitable, they argued, that another would eventually claim his place, and when that happened, they would all be dragged into another bloody war.

One of the problems they had encountered when fighting the monsters had been the fact that they knew very little about those that ruled them. Few scouts could navigate the regions they came from, and fewer still could go to the dungeon strongholds where the most powerful monsters reigned. Most troublesome of all, the traps in these dungeons were vicious, but Vaati had been one of the few, perhaps the only one, who could make his way into every single one without harm. Such an ability was much too valuable to lose.

It was with this argument that opinions separated into two camps. Darunia would hear nothing of it, demanding that they end Vaati's life right then and there. Zelda, however, hadn't been so certain. Repeating another war like this… her kingdom wouldn't be able to handle it. _She_ wouldn't be able to handle it. She didn't want to put her people through something like that again – forcing families to separate, sending fathers and mothers to what would be their deaths, having to face the families of loved ones who never returned from the field… she couldn't go through all of that again. If there was anything they could do to lessen the burden on the soldiers, then it was worth considering. Furthermore, agreeing with Twinrova would help better Hyrule's relations with the desert warrior tribes, who they'd always had a strained relationship with before the crisis with Vaati.

Darunia had been furious when Zelda began to talk as though she were weighing the witches offer. That night, he had stormed out of the tent, declaring that the Gorons were no longer friends to Hylians and Gerudos. From what they'd heard afterwards, none of the other Gorons knew why Darunia no longer wanted anything to do with Hyrule: perhaps he'd considered it a personal matter, and hadn't wanted the rest of the Gorons to panic at the news that Vaati was still alive…

Sheik had hoped that, by the time they met with the Gorons again, Darunia would be understanding of Hyrule and the Gerudo's decision. He did not expect friendship from the mountain race, but he'd hoped that they would be able to deal with each other civilly. Unfortunately, their visit had been unexpectedly early with the revelation of the Dusk Shards on Death Mountain, and wounds were still fresh.

Sheik bravely stood his ground as the intimidating Goron chief overshadowed him. They stood unyielding – both believing themselves to be in the right. The other Gorons watched on worriedly, afraid of a fight breaking out between the two of them. However, no one stepped forward to intervene, out of fear that they would exacerbate the situation. The sun had begun to set, and the fading deep orange of the sky was more ominous than pretty.

There was a small commotion, and someone pushed through the crowd of Gorons to make their way to Sheik. As though things couldn't get any worse, Fuu wandered over, completely oblivious that he was the very reason why Darunia was angry with them. Sheik was usually good at keeping a straight face, but this was one of those rare times when he wanted to shout something obscene. Fuu couldn't have picked a worse time to come back from the temple.

Sheik's fingers twitched towards the dagger hanging from his waist, expecting the worst. He watched as Darunia noticed Fuu's approach with surprise, before the chief's craggy brows pushed together into a frightening glare. Fuu stopped in his tracks, not understanding why he was being glared at with so much hate, and he inched backwards to keep an arm's length away from the towering Goron. The others who stood watching retreated slowly away from Fuu, now the focus of Darunia's anger. Fuu was smart enough to understand what he'd walked into, and he decided not to say anything out of fear that he would make the situation worse.

A few tense moments passed as everyone waited for an explosive confrontation. Sheik was slightly crouched, waiting to jump to Fuu's aid in the event that Darunia decided to attack him. Impa, too, already had one hand on the hilt of her greatsword, and Darunia had his hands curled into a fist. From the way the chief's fingers curled and uncurled, it was evident that he was fighting an internal struggle on whether or not he was going to pummel the former wind mage in front of everybody.

Eventually, Sheik saw Darunia's shoulders relax, although his terrifying glare still remained. It was a sign that perhaps Darunia wouldn't cause a scene. The chief, while passionate, wasn't a fool when it came to leading: if he attacked Fuu now in front of all of his people who had no idea about Fuu's past identity, everyone would think he'd gone mad. Sheik's fingers fell away from his daggers. It was going to be fine, Darunia wouldn't attack anyone.

Just as Sheik thought that he didn't have to worry about Fuu getting himself into a fight, he noticed a brief flicker in the shadow below Fuu's feet. His eyes shot sharply towards Darunia, and a chill ran down his back when he saw that the chief had noticed, too. Before he could intervene, Darunia suddenly lifted a powerful fist and slammed the ground in front of Fuu, sending the startled Sheikah apprentice stumbling backwards. Shadow Link popped out of Fuu's shadow, and while Link's doppelganger appeared unharmed, his face had a slightly paler tint and he looked completely caught off guard by the attack that had clearly been meant for him.

The next few seconds were a blur. Darunia roared angrily, charging towards Shadow Link who had drawn his sword in self-defense. As the Goron chief's massive fist flew towards Shadow Link's face, light flashed between them as Sheik intervened, throwing up a light shield to block the blow. However, it had all happened so fast that Sheik had only been able to conjure a weak shield. There was a horrid crack, and the shield splintered under Darunia's power, and the Sheikah was sent flying across the dirt from the spell's rebound. Impa ran to Sheik's side, while Fuu bravely stood unyieldingly in front of the angry Goron in order to stop him from continuing his assault on Sheik and Shadow Link. For a moment it seemed as though Darunia would go through with punching Fuu across Death Mountain like he'd meant to earlier, but instead rounded on Sheik, pointing accusatorially at Shadow Link who appeared confused by what had just happened. "You!" Darunia sputtered, fuming as he paced angrily in front of the Sheikah, "What does Hyrule have to say for itself? Have you all gone mad, siding with monsters?" at this, he shot another glare towards Fuu, before he turned back to Sheik again, "How dare you protect this creature? _!_ "

While not everyone recognized Fuu as Vaati, many knew of Link's double who had spawned from the Dark World. The other Gorons, who had previously been more worried about Darunia's inexplicable anger towards Sheik and Impa, now appeared just as angry as their chief at the sight of Shadow Link. Shadow Link slowly got up and placed a hand on the hilt of his sword, backing away from the ring of angry Gorons.

"If you have a problem with him, you have a problem with me," Fuu answered, and everyone turned to him. He didn't quite know what had happened or what was going on, but he wasn't going to just stand around and let a walking rock beat up his company. "He's helping-"

"I wasn't talking to you, _kid_ ," Darunia shot, silencing Fuu.

Although it wasn't like Fuu to back down, Darunia's glare was more unnerving than anything he'd ever encountered before. The hatred he felt from the chief's gaze was so powerful that it was almost as though the hatred was personal. Why he deserved such hate, Fuu didn't know, especially since this was the first time he'd met the chief. Right?

In the meantime, Sheik had staggered to his feet, dragging himself over next to Fuu. There was an ugly bruise forming across his face, and there was a gash across his nose where the shattered spell had sliced him. He wiped the blood away from his face with his hand, and he placed a hand on Fuu's shoulder. It was a reassuring hand, as though to tell Fuu that he would handle it from here. "He's with us," Sheik repeated what Fuu had been about to say earlier. His words were simple, but Fuu could hear the edge of frustration underneath.

Darunia stormed over so that his nose was almost touching Sheik's. "Hah! That means nothing, and we both know it," he growled. Fuu didn't really know what Darunia meant by that, but from the way Sheik's mouth tilted into a frown, it was clear that the blond knew what was being referred to. Darunia continued to stare Sheik down, but when the blond stared back just as defiantly, he straightened up and waved his huge saucer-sized hands irritably. "Hylians' have flighty ideas of allies," he scoffed. When he noticed Fuu tilt his head, confused by what he was alluding to, he scowled, his voice sour. "Why don't you ask your princess about the time she betrayed the Gorons, hmm?"

"He's with us," Sheik repeated sternly, not wanting the discussion to stray back towards what Hyrule had decided to do about Vaati.

Anger flashed across Darunia's steely black eyes like sparks across iron. He walked over to Shadow Link threateningly again, but Sheik held out a hand. The hand was more for Shadow Link, who was still pointing his sword at the Goron chief, as though to reassure him that Sheik had this under control. This further angered Darunia, and he lifted his fists in frustration. "He is not. We kill him," he growled, his powerful hands dangerously close to Sheik. Still seeing that Sheik, bruised and a little beaten, wasn't going to budge on this matter, Darunia gave an aggravated grunt and poked the other's chest challengingly. "Hmph. Then swear it," he demanded, "If you say that he is to you what my brothers are to me, then I might believe you."

There was a slight hush from the rest of the Gorons who had gathered to watch. To admit brotherhood to another was an extremely serious matter for Gorons, and not something to be taken lightly. Not only were you judged on your own actions, but your brothers' actions as well. The corner of Sheik's eye twitched. Darunia suspected that Sheik and Impa didn't completely trust Shadow Link, and he was challenging them for it. While Hyrule was more willing to take the "keep your friends close and enemies closer" approach, especially given their decision to keep Vaati and Shadow Link around, the Gorons were more along the lines of "destroy enemies before they cause trouble." For the Gorons, there was no such thing as an untrustworthy ally, and what Hyrule was doing, to harbor Shadow Link and Vaati on the premise that they were useful, was an affront to them. Sheik knew where Darunia was going with this: if they backed down and said neither Shadow nor Fuu were true allies, then Darunia would prove to the Gorons that Hyrule was, indeed, fickle and unworthy of trust. If Sheik held his ground and continued to say that Shadow Link and Fuu were with him, and one of them did something grievous, then Hyrule would again look untrustworthy because they clearly lack good judgment.

Sheik barely noticed that Impa had walked up to him to place a concerned hand on his shoulder. He waved her away. He wasn't going to let the Goron chief see him so troubled by the decision. Taking a deep breath, Sheik stood with his shoulders rolled back challengingly. Surprise flashed across Darunia's face when the warrior answered resolutely, "I swear it!"

"Swear it on your life," Darunia growled, still taken aback by Sheik's response. He hadn't expected that response, and had believed Sheik would admit that Hyrule was wrong for letting someone like Shadow Link work with them.

"I swear on my life that they are to me what your brothers are to you!" Sheik declared.

An incredulous silence fell over everyone, and they all stared in disbelief at Sheik, including Impa and Shadow Link. Behind him, Impa lowered her gaze and gave a sigh for what was to come from this bold declaration. Darunia continued to search the warrior's face for any indication of uncertainty or hesitation. There wasn't any.

"I see," Darunia eventually replied slowly. He seemed to be struggling with words, unsure of what to say in response, and he looked back at Sheik with a strange mix of both pity and respect. He had trouble grasping why Hyrule decided to place their faith on a wretch like Shadow Link, and even more so for an abomination like this… 'Fuu.' Still, he rarely saw the kind of reckless determination that Sheik had shown when supporting those two, and he had to respect that. If Hyrule truly believed that they were allies, then he couldn't challenge that. That was their problem. With a troubled shake of his head, Darunia finally turned away from the Sheikah and grumbled, "Fine. I will let you rest before your journey back to Hyrule, as thanks for helping us against the Nightmare creature." No one missed the scowl that flashed briefly on the chief's face, disappointed as he was about Sheik's answer. "However, I want you to leave us when the sun rises tomorrow. You are still not welcome here."

Sheik took a breath that he hadn't known he'd been holding, and exhaled as he let his hands fall loosely against his sides. As Darunia walked away, leaving them at the clearing, the other Gorons who had gathered followed him out back to the center of the village. A few of them cast the Sheikah an incredulous look before they quickly lowered their gaze to mind their own business. Eventually the visitors from Hyrule were all alone, standing under the shadow of the petrified Gohma, the falling sun casting long shadows across the mountain path. Sheik felt a trickle on his nose, and realized that blood had been dripping from his wound again. He wiped it away, and then turned back to the others for the first time since the confrontation with Darunia. They all looked back at him, hesitantly, as though they wanted to say something.

He knew what each one of them wanted to say: Impa, to ask him why he'd made such a rash decision to publicly declare his support for Shadow Link, Shadow Link, to ask why he'd helped him yet again, and Fuu, to ask him what had made Darunia so angry at them.

Eventually, Fuu cleared his throat. "Thanks," he said quietly, "for standing up for him." The uncomfortable words that remained unspoken, then, were, "I'm sorry that it hadn't been me." For all the tough claims he'd made about how he'd be responsible for Shadow Link, Fuu had allowed Darunia to silence him. For what it was worth, the way Darunia had looked at him would have silenced anyone, even the most terrible monsters themselves, but it didn't make Fuu feel less pathetic about it. He just hadn't expected such hatred, and such personal hatred it had been, from someone he could have sworn he'd never met.

Sheik looked at him blankly, unsure of how to react. He liked Fuu, and for the past several days, he'd almost stopped seeing him as Vaati. In all honesty, he'd never met a more genuine person than Fuu, except maybe Link. However, the encounter with Darunia today was a reminder that, while Fuu may no longer be Vaati, the sorcerer's influence could not truly disappear. Those who remembered Vaati, and those who discovered what Hyrule had done, would continue to be in conflict with them. And as much as Sheik liked Fuu, it was hard not to associate him to the conflict with Darunia today. It was unfair to think that it was Fuu's fault, but at the same time he was just too much of a reminder of every single problem Sheik had had recently.

And then, Sheik did something that he'd done so often before when he just couldn't take it anymore. It was something that had cost him friends as Zelda, and something that caused Impa countless hours of frustration. "I need time alone," he said, and walked off to disappear, "don't follow me."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Over an hour later, and Sheik still hadn't returned to the others.

Sheik disliked arguing, and the huge argument with Darunia had tired him out. Although the situation had been resolved, it reminded him why he hated dealing with people sometimes. Every argument with anyone reminded him of his role as Hyrule's representative, its princess, and how anything he said could one day be used against Hyrule. Say anything too crazy, and Hyrule was accused of being unstable. Say anything too meek and Hyrule was a weakening kingdom. He was walking a thin line with every argument with anyone, no matter how petty, and it was for this reason that he especially hated arguments.

He hadn't actually gone too far from the others, but far enough that they wouldn't find him so easily. He'd climbed up the canyon ledges around the clearing, and was now perched atop an outcrop that looked down to where the others had set up camp below. A small light flickered where they had made a campfire under the shadow of the Gohma statue, and he watched as Fuu helped throw some deadwood into the flames.

He tried to ignore the small pang of guilt as he saw Fuu look around from time to time, clearly distracted by something. At one point, the Sheikah apprentice asked Impa something as they moved some rocks to sit on around the fire. When Fuu's shoulders drooped in disappointment when the older woman shook her head slowly, Sheik had an idea that he'd asked her where he'd gone.

Impa was already used to Zelda leaving for stretches of time to avoid people, but most others did not understand. Fuu's expression was difficult to see in the dim light, but Sheik could just imagine him furrowing his brows, wondering if this was somehow his fault.

 _I'm not mad or anything,_ Sheik kicked away a small rock, and it tumbled down the side of the cliff. _I mean, yeah, I guess I kind of am. Since all of this is your fault. Even though it isn't._ He sighed, and then leaned against the cool rock as he continued to watch the others from his perch above. _But it's kind of like when a friend is… is an idiot, and you're really mad at them, but you also don't want to be too mad at them because you were idiot first._ He paused, thinking about the analogy, and then he added to himself, _except that before YOU were an idiot, the friend was a bigger idiot back when you legitimately hated them._

He shook his head again, still feeling a little mean but justified at the same time for disappearing. Impa had always grieved that it was a bad habit of his, and had attributed this habit to the reason why he barely had any real friends. Few would guess that the most esteemed and loved princess of Hyrule would be lacking in friends, since everyone seemed to be fond of her, but nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, Zelda was very good at knowing exactly what to say to be amicable, but it was simply something she had been trained to do, not something she did because she enjoyed it. She'd been taught etiquette, and how to smile correctly, and as a young girl she'd taken her teachings seriously because she believed in the duty she had as the Princess of Hyrule. And the more she practiced smiling at people, the more she'd come to hate it.

In times when people overwhelmed her, she isolated herself. Eventually, people who could have been friends just assumed that she was too busy for their time. Or that she didn't like them.

"Hey."

Sheik's ear twitched at the sound of Shadow Link's voice. _Hey_ , the blond noted. 'Hey,' rather than the usually carefree, mockingly cheerful 'Hiya.' Somewhat irritated that his alone-time had been interrupted, and by a serious Shadow Link no less, Sheik pulled the cloth around his neck to further cover his face. He turned his back slightly away from Shadow Link who popped up from the darkness to settle down on the rocks above him.

"I was looking for you," Shadow Link said, "you were a moblin snot to find." When Sheik ignored him, he shrugged and sat cross-legged on the rocks, tugging at his ankles awkwardly like he didn't know how to start the conversation. He hummed and hawed a few times, scratched his head, and then pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh. "Look, about today…" he started, and then decided that wasn't how he wanted to begin things so he bit his lip and looked up at the stars uncomfortably.

The two of them sat in silence while Shadow Link tried to figure out what it was he wanted to say. The moon, a beautiful crescent, had inched up higher during the time they sat staring up at the sky wordlessly. When it was clear that Shadow Link wasn't going to leave him alone, Sheik gave an aggravated sigh. "I didn't do it for you," he mumbled.

Shadow Link perked up, eager that Sheik was willing to talk. "What was that?"

"I did it for him," Sheik nodded towards Fuu who was huddled by the fire. "I did it for him, because I promised that I would trust him."

"What does that have to do with-"

"Because he trusts you, and I decided to trust his decisions," Sheik said, his voice sounding more irritable than he'd meant to. He turned his head slightly towards Shadow Link. In the darkness, only the doppelganger's blue eyes that glinted from the firelight below was visible. "What do you think would have happened if I had let Darunia attack you? If Fuu ended up in the fight? It's better that Darunia remains angry with me, rather than with him." Sheik huffed. "And before you ask, yes I'm annoyed at him, because it's your fault I had to confront Darunia and it's his fault for insisting you live."

In the darkness, Shadow Link rolled his eyes. "Ugh, I guess that makes you as stupid as I thought you were, then. If Fuu ended up in the fight then that's his problem, isn't it? It's not-"

Sheik interrupted Shadow Link for the second time, his irritation more evident now. "It _is_ my problem," he said, "because that's what friends do." He let the words sink in, an allusion to Shadow's earlier claim that Sheik didn't know what friendship was. Then, he stood up to find somewhere else where Shadow Link wouldn't bother him.

Shadow stared after the Sheikah until he realized his mouth had been left half-open in surprise. He scrambled after him until he was standing in his way.

Sheik looked him up and down, and then crossed his arms impatiently.

"Look, I just wanted to say," Shadow Link blurted, unusually agitated, "even if you didn't mean what you said today, to that Goron, no one has… no one has said anything like that about me before."

Sheik blinked, his expression softening. He watched the shadow creature jam his arms crossed over his chest, peeved by his own outburst. Sheik chuckled, and tapped Shadow Link on the shoulder. "You're all right, Shadow," he said, and walked off.

Alone, Shadow Link gave a flustered huff. He raised his hands, and then whacked a rock next to him in aggravation. _Damn it, Shadow, you really want to ruin everything you've been working for now?_ He mentally kicked himself, and then for good measure decided to kick the rocky wall in front of him, too. He'd been so close, so dangerously close, to telling Sheik his real intentions.

The truth was… the truth was that they really shouldn't be trusting him. They were idiots to do so, and yet they did. The whole thing with Darunia today had been a lapse of judgement from Sheik he'd never expected. Of course, getting the Sheikah and Master Vaati to trust him had been the plan all along, but the more he spent time with them, the more he was beginning to hate what he would eventually have to do. "Having doubts now, Shadow?" he laughed bitterly to himself. Cursing, he sat back down, glaring at the empty space just in front of his toes.

In the beginning, he hadn't cared a bit for any of them. He hadn't cared for Hyrule, hadn't cared for Sheik, and certainly hadn't cared for _Master_ Vaati. Well, okay, so he did kind of care about Master Vaati, but it was in that strange, stupid way, where you know someone is horrible and they deserve everything awful in the world, but you can't help but care about them. Like… when you viscerally hate a family member, but can't help but stand by them when someone tries to fuck them up because damn it all no one gets to destroy them but you. The point was that he hadn't cared enough not to go through with his plan which would most likely end with their demise.

But now… now things had changed. First Vaati, and now Sheik. He could almost be fooled into thinking that they were actually people he could get along with. Friends? No, not friends, because he didn't think those were real, no matter what Sheik said. They were people who had his back, though, and that was more than what he could ever say about anyone else he knew. Not even Master Vaati, back before he'd still been his master and before he'd lost his memories, ever demonstrated that he cared about what happened to him. When Fuu had first stood up for him against Sheik, he'd been struck speechless. Fuu had spoken with the words of Vaati, with that voice commanding power and respect, but he'd used it to protect him. The old Vaati had never made him feel like someone worth noticing, much less protecting: in fact, Shadow Link always suspected that if he died, Vaati could always just summon another one of him.

No one had ever stood up for him the way Fuu and Sheik had. It had been… nice.

Shadow Link shook his head, trying to clear it of these silly thoughts. He couldn't doubt now, not when he was so close to finally getting what he wanted. What were two more casualties in the grand scheme of things?

Trivial details.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning, everyone was woken by a panicked Goron frantically shaking their shoulders with his rough, gravelly hands. For Fuu, it was especially upsetting because he was still sleep deprived from Sheik's early morning trainings for the last 3 days, and he hadn't had much luck getting a relaxing night's rest ever since he'd woken up at the Gerudo camp. He'd had half a mind to clock the Goron and pretend the guy had passed out, inexplicably, on his own, but he was stopped by the few words he caught between the panicked blabbering of the Goron. "Whoa, slow down. What's the deal?" he asked, while the others rubbed their eyes and slowly got up from their blankets. He glanced up at the sky. It was barely breaking dawn, and he could still see the faint stars glowing against the gradually reddening sky.

"Hyrule… it…" he Goron panted, and he crouched over, catching his breath. It almost looked like he'd ran some distance before coming to them with a message.

Impa, now fully awake, made her way over to the Goron. "Take it easy. What has happened to Hyrule?"

"Hyrule… it was… it was attacked! Last night…" the Goron gasped. A chill passed over them, but it was nothing compared to the sinking atmosphere that came with the messenger's next words.

"The princess is… She's dead."

 _What?_ Fuu's breath caught in his throat. Princess Zelda... was dead? He turned towards Impa and Sheik, wondering if he'd misheard. He must have misheard. However, all he could see was the ashen faces of the other two Sheikahs, confirming that he'd heard exactly what had been said.

"… horrible… displayed on a crucifix… middle of the town."

The Goron was rambling on, but Fuu couldn't hear him. Everything seemed to be buzzing. Incoherent. Across from him, Sheik had a devastating expression, completely lost and disoriented. Finally, Sheik looked at Impa, and then to Fuu, his wavering voice nothing at all like the one that had stood up to Darunia bravely the day before.

"So that…" Sheik said hoarsely, "That's why Dethl left. To attack Hyrule."

* * *

fleets: I don't really have much to say, except maybe 'yay Dethl?' so yeah. I'll leave it at that. Yay Dethl.

 **SubZeroChimera:** Whatever happened in this chapter was kind of a trainwreck with Sheik as damage control

 **Serpent Tailed Angel:** He truly knows exactly what to do to make everything better for everyone :)

 **Flufux:** I'm actually pretty excited about the future chapters where I can showcase their character for real. They're not really like any villain I've written before (I don't think).  
My major concern is how detailed I should go into for stuff like... gore. Guts, blood, and detailed torture scenes and all that jazz. Right now I think I'll keep it tame, so as not to scare anyone away.  
And yeah! This chapter has the first hint that this story is a little different (in terms of level of violence) than my other ones.

 **AquilaMage:** We'll (hopefully) see more of that creepy ominous from Dethl :) I hope this chapter answered some of your questions :D

 **Ai Star:** Hahaha Fuu just seems to get into one kind of trouble after another. And yeahhh so Dethl had been busy elsewhere D:

 **Vesperupus:** More trouble to come. Pretty excited about it hahaha  
And yes! I definitely named it Bates in secret XD  
I have a lot of ideas for Dethl and I'm super excited about when I can actually write more (they're being uncooperative by being all shadowy and indirect...)

 **Guest:** Hi guest! I'm not sure you'll see this since the review was for Chapter 1, but I just wanted to say thank you so much ;w;  
It did feel funny coming back to it since I was one hundred thousand percent sure that I would never come back, and yet I ended up coming back to this so soon lol.  
I am definitely having fun with it. I kind of forgot how much I enjoyed fanfic writing (it just feels different than writing something original...) and it was nice to get back into it (especially with such a warm welcome back!)


	14. Shadow of a Hero

fleets: Things I am good at - finishing chapters. Things I am not good at - being patient and letting a chapter sit for over 24 hours so I can give it the proofing it deserves.

Just warning you. (and this is why I might eventually rewrite some of my more grievously unproofed stories, like I did with Rend).

Speaking of warnings, this chapter is a little more bloody and stabby than stuff I usually write. That said, it's still fairly tame (I've read hardcore gore before and this is definitely nothing remotely close to hardcore gore). There's violence in here, but I didn't make it super descriptive. Still, I thought I should warn you just in case.

Anyways, Happy Valentines Day! 14th chapter on the 14th day, how's that for being prepared? :P

* * *

 **Chapter 14: Shadow of a Hero**

Fuu didn't remember much about what had passed during their journey back to Hyrule. As soon as they'd heard news about the attack on Hyrule, they had all wasted no time to get to their mounts and depart as soon as possible. He vaguely recalled his feet carrying him swiftly to the horses, but his mind had been too occupied with the messenger's words to notice what he was doing. He refused to believe that the princess was dead. That Hyrule had fallen. He wouldn't believe it until he saw it for himself.

The smoke was the first thing they saw as it climbed to the sky like some twisted claw reaching upwards. Dread filled Fuu's chest when he wondered if the orange color that washed over the dark grey of the kingdom was light from the breaking dawn or embers of burning houses.

Sheik leapt off of his horse as soon as they reached the castle gates, and the animal ran in the other direction, spooked by something within the castle walls. Fuu ran after him, followed by Impa and Shadow Link. Broken, charred beams were scattered around the cobblestone paths, still glowing red from embers, and it reeked of something like acid as well as burned meat. Fuu averted his gaze from the occasional limb that reached through the fallen debris around them.

 _Horrible… displayed on a crucifix… middle of the town._

Fuu ran faster, remembering the words of the Goron messenger. It couldn't be true. He refused to believe it until he saw it for himself, but now that he was actually in a nightmarish Hyrule, he wasn't sure if he could handle seeing whatever it was that awaited them in the center of castle town.

In front of him, Sheik had slowed to a stop in the castle square. The Sheikah was as still as a statue in front of the display that had been propped in the center of the square. Fuu ran over to him, concerned for the blond who suddenly looked ill. However, he, too, had to choke back the taste of bile in his mouth when he noticed just what it was that Sheik was staring at. The fountain in the middle of the square had been filled with the broken beams of the buildings throughout castle town, and severed heads still with horrified expressions were jammed into the splinters. In the center of the pile was a crucifix, crudely constructed by two wooden beams stained with the blood of its victim.

Fuu wanted to look away. He should have looked away, but somehow he couldn't take his eyes off of what had quickly turned into a nightmare. Beside him Sheik wretched, leaning against Impa for support.

Princess Zelda was nailed to the cross, but in an exceptionally brutal manner. Fuu finally wrenched his eyes away, but he couldn't get the image of what he'd just seen out of his head. Nails… dozens and dozens of nails. Across her arms. Her legs. Her torso. Her face.

Goddesses her face was hardly recognizable.

"Victims of crucifixion often die a long and tortuous death, often lasting for several days," Impa said, her voice suddenly hoarse. In her hands was a piece of a broken sign that had been placed in front of the horrific display. "That was not the intention for the princess. This was not a crucifixion for her, but a message for the survivors. A message to instill fear."

At this, Sheik stirred. He'd already known that Dethl had meant this to be a message. Dethl had made it known that they knew who Sheik really was: if they'd really wanted the princess dead then they would have attacked him on Death Mountain. "That's not her," he said quietly. He straightened up, and when he finally looked back at the others, his red eyes that were usually full of fierce fire were empty and lost. "That's not her!" he shouted, and then sprinted away towards the castle.

"Sheik!"

Fuu watched Impa run after Sheik, petrified where he stood. A numbness crawled up his arms through his fingertips, and he felt a lightness in his head. In an attempt to distract himself with something, he absentmindedly picked up the broken sign that Impa had dropped in her hurry after Sheik. He turned over the sign in his hands, not because he expected to find anything there but because he needed something to take his thoughts away from the princess nailed to a cross. To his surprise, words were written on the sign in blood. They read: "where is the real princess?"

"And I thought Master Vaati was scary, but Dethl just took it to a whole new level," Shadow Link whistled, observing the gruesome display before them. He hopped over to Fuu who was staring at the sign quietly. "You okay?"

"Yes," Fuu said, surprising himself. He was surprised because it wasn't a lie, and he was taken aback when the numbness in his hands disappeared abruptly and he was no longer feeling faint. He turned his head back to the bloodied corpse, and was surprised even more when he realized that he could look at it without being overcome with disgust. Suddenly, he dropped the sign on the ground and climbed over some of the wooden beams around the princess's feet to get a closer look at her disfigured face.

"Aw shucks, Fuu, that's kind of gross, yeah?" Shadow called, wrinkling his nose at Fuu who was so close to the dead body that he was almost touching it.

Fuu observed the body a little longer, and then jumped back down on the ground. He tilted his head towards Shadow Link with a curious look on his face. "Do you think that's the real princess?" he asked. He recalled Sheik shouting that the person on the cross wasn't the real princess.

Shadow Link shrugged. "I dunno. Blondie didn't seem to think that she was, but he could just be in denial. Wouldn't blame him for it," he added, raising an eyebrow towards the cross. It wasn't a fate he would wish on anyone. He waved a hand at the disfigured corpse. "Honestly, I can't tell who that thing used to be because of all the uh… nails."

Fuu nodded, and as strange as it was, he seemed more at ease than before. As soon as it had occurred to him that the unfortunate victim may not be the real Princess Zelda, he'd begun to feel better about the situation. Perhaps he should have been disgusted with himself for not being more disturbed by the amount of death that surrounded him, but that was the truth of it. Blood and death didn't seem to bother him so much as the thought that he'd failed his job to protect the princess. Now that there was a possibility that the princess was still alive, he was filled with determination rather than despair. He wasn't going to believe that the princess was really dead until he was confronted with irrefutable proof that the person on the cross was really her.

He took one last glance at the crucifix surrounded by decapitated heads. Once again, he surprised himself when he realized that he was no longer repulsed by it, but rather, intrigued. He wondered, briefly, if he was a horrible person for being interested in the kind of cruelty that had been inflicted here, in a manner similar to a child investigating an ant burning to a crisp under a looking glass in the sun. What Dethl had done here went beyond murder. It was sick. Evil.

Fuu was about to make his way over in the direction where Sheik and Impa had disappeared, towards the castle, but he was stopped by a commotion coming down the street that led further into castle town. "That was a shout!" Shadow Link exclaimed, "Some people survived." Fuu nodded, and the two decided to follow the shouts that were quickly turning into distressed screams. If they didn't hurry, those people wouldn't be "survivors" for long.

The breaking dawn cast eerie shadows along the once bustling streets of castle town, now full of debris and floating sparks from the still-glowing cinders of the burned buildings. There was a clatter as Shadow Link accidentally kicked away a cracked skull. It was much too smooth and polished to have belonged to someone who had recently died; Fuu guessed that Stalfos soldiers had been here as well, although from the emptiness of the town it seemed that they had retreated a while ago.

They continued to run down the street, being careful to avoid any falling debris from the ruined buildings around them. As they approached the screams, Fuu noticed that there was some strange, sticky substance dripping from some of the walls. Eventually, the light green slime coated parts of the street like some kind of giant slug had passed through. While he didn't know what it was, Fuu knew enough not to step on the strange substance. From the noxious fumes that grew more potent with heavier concentrations of slime, it was clear that they should give it space. Unfortunately, the screams seemed to be leading them directly towards the source of the slime.

"What is this stuff?" Fuu muttered aloud, jumping over a larger clump of slime that seemed to be eating through a wooden cart that had toppled over.

Beside him, Shadow Link appeared momentarily surprised that Fuu didn't know, before he remembered that Fuu wasn't Vaati. "Vitreous," he replied.

"Vitreous? What's that?" Fuu began, but his question was answered soon enough when they rounded the corner. Before them, there was a massive pile of slime about the size of a small shack. Inside the slime was a large, veiny eye with clouded green pupils, about six feet wide in diameter. It was surrounded by dozens of smaller eyes. The eyes were all preoccupied by a grate on the ground: screams could be heard from below the drain grate. It didn't look like the creature was doing much other than staring at the grate, until Fuu noticed that it was slowly dripping through it so that it could reach the people on the other side. _Oh no you don't_.

"To Stone With You!" Fuu shouted, and magic crackled from his fingertips towards the monster called Vitreous. As soon as he'd done so, several of the creature's smaller eyes turned towards him sharply to take a glimpse of the newcomer before they were turned to stone. The magic spread through the slime, turning it into a grey block of solid rock until it simply stopped. _Huh?_ Fuu thought, confused when only a part of Vitreous was turned to stone.

The large eye swiveled towards them, momentarily losing interest in the people screaming from under the grate. The main body of the creature had severed the part that had been hit with Fuu's spell, stopping its spread. Upon seeing Fuu and Shadow Link, it recoiled in surprise, and the air hissing from the bubbles that popped from its slime almost sounded like a distressed exclamation. Its reaction surprised Fuu: It looked powerful enough, and he'd expected it to attack them as soon as it had noticed them. Instead, it almost looked like it was afraid of him. "Hsskkkk!" it gurgled, and then it began to slither away with surprising speed for a gelatinous creature.

"Don't let it get away!" Fuu shouted, throwing some powerful blasts of magic towards the retreating slime. His attacks hit the smaller eyes that jumped up to protect the main eye, and they burst messily into a splatter of acid. Fuu and Shadow were forced to slow down to avoid getting hit with the spray of goo, and Vitreous used the opportunity to squeeze down into a storm drain farther down the road.

Fuu gnawed his teeth in frustration. "Shadow!" he barked, "Can you follow it?"

"Sure thing, boss," Shadow Link nodded. "Want me to kill it?"

"Do everything you can to stop that thing from reaching those people down there. The princess could be with them," Fuu snarled. Then, his eyes glowed red as he summoned two sentry eyes. "I'll try to find my own way down there in the meantime."

Shadow Link flashed a grin at the sight of the sentry eyes. "Aw yeah, Master Vaati's back in town." He cackled when Fuu threw him a glare, "Hahaha, I'm just messing with ya. Don't worry, I'll get the job done. Vitreous will be dead and gone before you know it."

With that, Shadow Link melted into the darkness within the storm drain. Fuu ordered one sentry eye to fly through the thin crack of the drain to follow Shadow, while he used the other to find an entrance large enough for him to follow.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 _Nothing personal, Vitreous,_ Shadow Link thought as he carefully made his way through the drain tunnels beneath the streets of castle town, _It's just business._ It was pitch black in the tunnels, but it was no issue for Shadow Link who could see in minimal light.

It was kind of a shame that he would have to be the one to destroy that giant booger of a monster, since they had once been on the same side. He liked it marginally better than some of the other monsters because it couldn't really say much other than gurgle and spit, and he'd had some good fun messing with it back in the day. Vitreous was perhaps one of the most gullible monsters he'd ever met, and the reason why it had climbed the ranks to be one of the most powerful monsters in the region wasn't because it was a cunning and terrifying leader, but because it was uncannily good at creating great big swaths of destruction wherever it went. To be fair, it couldn't help it, since its body deteriorated almost any organic material it touched, and its fumes combusted with a hot enough flame.

Needless to say, Vitreous was rarely invited to meetings, and it was often sent to the middle of fucking nowhere so no one would have to deal with it. Well, except maybe the poor sods it was sent to wreak havoc on.

Shadow Link had to stop for the third time when he encountered a split in the path. Vitreous was surprisingly fast when it wanted to be, and he couldn't even trace the slime on the ground or walls to figure out which route it had taken. The screams had since stopped, which suggested that Vitreous was no longer in that direction. However, Shadow decided to go towards where the screams had been anyway, in case the slime decided to come back to finish the job. After all, Fuu's orders had been to prevent Vitreous from reaching the survivors.

After a while, he saw the soft glow of a torch in the path ahead. He saw some figures walking towards him, and he slowed down when they approached him excitedly. It was a sizeable crowd, and they all looked scared out of their wits.

"Link! Link, lad, is that you?" the man leading the crowd asked, waving a torch towards him to get a better look at his face. "By the goddesses, we thought that monster had gotten you when you ran off to distract it. It's gone now. Looks like your plan worked."

Shadow Link stiffened at the mention of his other lookalike's name. He resisted the urge to draw his sword on the other man when he placed his large, tubby baker's hands on his shoulder. "Yeah…" Shadow muttered. He stepped to the side, avoiding the torch's light from shining on his face.

"It was a good thing you knew about these tunnels," the man continued, to which there was a murmur of agreement from the crowd, "we'd all be dead out there if you hadn't helped us find the entrances." Suddenly, the man became aware that 'Link' was scowling something fierce with an expression that could only be described as burning hatred. "Is… is something the matter boy?" He asked hesitantly.

"No," Shadow Link replied, though his expression suggested otherwise. He hadn't expected to hear about 'Link,' right now. He _never_ wanted to hear about Link, his so-called 'real' self. He was always the fake one, just because he would never have existed without Link. He could never be unique, because Link always overshadowed him. Literally.

He had a bitter rivalry with Link, and it angered him even more when Link himself never even acknowledged his existence until Shadow had made an effort to ruin Link's name. Hearing talk about Link always put him in a sour mood, and it was only the fact that Fuu had specifically ordered for the safety of these peons that Shadow Link didn't make them shut up about Link for good.

"Hey, what was that?" Someone asked from the crowd, pointing a finger at something behind Shadow.

Shadow Link turned around, and just barely saw the faint outline of one of Fuu's sentry eyes before It fluttered away into the darkness.

There was an uneasy murmur, and Shadow Link could hear people talking to each other nervously. "Must've been imagining things," he heard someone say quietly, but it was clear that everyone was on edge again. The crowd had realized that perhaps they were no longer as safe as they had wanted to believe.

Shadow Link once again tried to step away from the torch that the first man was waving in his face. However, the crowd seemed insistent to be close to 'the hero' in case something else snuck up on them from the dark. He couldn't inch away from the light as hard as he tried. Eventually, someone finally noticed that 'Link's' hair was a dark purple-black rather than blond. And that he wasn't wearing his usual green tunic but a black one.

"That's not Link. It's that demon!" they cried, causing a ripple of distressed chatter from the crowd, "The one that tricked us into thinking it was the hero!"

Before an uproar could start, a different voice called out from behind Shadow Link. Shadow's ears twitched irritably when he recognized the voice; it was one that was similar to his own, but one that was a little too… righteous. Innocent. Friendly as fuck.

"What's going on? Is everyone all right? I'm not sure why, but that monster ran off and…" Link ran into view with a slight limp in his step, and he slowed to a stop just next to Shadow Link. He jumped back when he noticed Shadow Link standing there with a malicious glare, and he brought his hand towards the hilt of his sword cautiously. "Shadow."

Shadow Link eyed his double, and he seemed to be trying to decide whether or not he should cut Link right then and there. For a second it almost looked like he was going to draw his sword, but instead he flashed a wide, exaggerated grin. "Hah! Well _hello_ Link. Sounds like you're still having fun hero-ing around without me."

"I should have known you were behind all of this!" Link shot. "What you did at the town square…" he grimaced, unable to finish his sentence.

"What, the crucifixion?" Shadow picked at his nails uninterestedly. His blithe demeanor regarding something so horrifying angered Link further, but Shadow only chuckled when Link pointed a sword at his face. "I'm sorry to say I can't take credit for that. Dramatic, wasn't it?"

"I'll stop you."

At this, Shadow Link threw his head back and howled in laughter. "Ahahaha! _You?"_ he cackled. He vanished into the darkness, only to reappear behind Link and kick him in the back, throwing him off balance. He dug his boot into Link's chest, pinning him to the ground. A metallic ringing echoed in the tunnel as Shadow Link drew his sword and pointed it at Link's throat. "Your time is over, buddy. Just look at you, you're broken," he said coldly. His sword slowly traced over the scar across Link's face, and to his hands that could barely grip a sword without shaking.

Shadow Link briefly looked away from his double, only to shoot a warning glare towards the crowd that had inched closer in an attempt to help the hero. Once the crowd backed away, he gave a small shrug and turned back to Link who was still under his boot. "Look, I'm under orders to stop that green slime from killing y'all, got it? Y'all can go ahead and stop me, but then you'd better be prepared to save your sorry hides." He let the message sink in, and then slowly took his foot off of Link, allowing the other boy to sit up with a confused look on his face. He twirled his sword and sheathed it, spreading his arms towards the crowd jovially. "Anyone? Anyone still want to stop me?"

"You're… what?" Link asked, confused. Was Shadow Link offering to help them against the slime monster?

Shadow Link tapped his foot impatiently. "Are you gonna let me do my job and save y'all or what?"

There was another flurry of panicked murmurs through the crowd as they tried to decide what to do about Shadow Link. The discussion became heated, with some people wanting to welcome the help for now and others insisting that Shadow Link was tricking them. The rising voices echoed through the tunnel, and it lured another creature towards them. Vitreous.

The bloodshot eye oozed towards them from the far end of the tunnel.

Shadow Link sighed, and glanced at Link who was still trying to decide if he could trust Shadow Link or not. "Should've accepted my help when I first asked you," he shook his head in mock pity. Without warning, he raised his sword into the air and stabbed Link in the leg. "That's so you won't be a pain in the ass," Shadow said above Link's anguished cries. He ordered someone from the crowd to patch the hero up, but not before he gave a final warning. "Once I get my way then _you_ will be the one sitting in the shadows," he spat. "This is my time now."

Shadow Link twirled his sword one last time, and started walking towards Vitreous on the other end of the tunnel. Just before the slime reached him, the doppelganger grinned, and suddenly tossed a boomerang towards the torches that the crowd of people were holding behind him.

There was a distressed shriek from Vitreous when it lost vision, and it drowned out the panicked voices from the crowd. Only Shadow Link snickered gleefully as he made his move in the place he knew best: Darkness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Good work down there," Fuu nodded towards Shadow Link when they reconvened in the streets above the tunnels, "Looks like I didn't have to join you after all."

Shadow walked over slowly, dragging the blade of his sword along some broken beams to wipe away the sticky slime from Vitreous. "Sure," he said. His usual mockingly cheery demeanor was gone, and he appeared to be scowling at nothing in particular. He looked up momentarily only to shoo away a curious sentry eye that had fluttered too close to his face.

"The princess wasn't with the people down there," Fuu said, dismissing one of the two sentry eyes. The red glow around his eyes dimmed as the creature dematerialized. "Let's split up and search."

"Sure," Shadow Link responded in that same, flat tone, and then began to walk towards a random direction through the streets. Fuu frowned, and then gave a small sigh. He thought he could guess what it was that was bothering him.

"Also, Shadow?" Fuu called after Shadow Link's retreating back.

Shadow Link slowed, and tilted his head in acknowledgement but didn't say anything.

"Next time anyone calls you a demon, I'll beat them up for you and then turn them into a statue."

The frown on Shadow Link's face twitched. The twitch began to curl, until Fuu could see that signature insulting grin again. "Hahahaha, I'd love to see that," Shadow Link laughed.

They gave an affirmative nod, and split up to search for Princess Zelda, who was possibly still alive. Shadow Link ran towards the town with the sentry eye tailing him, and he glanced back at it once, thoughtfully. It was there, that feeling again; the feeling that he was part of a real team for once. People he could count on. Fuu and Sheik actually made him feel like he _was_ somebody. That he was worth something, and that he wasn't just some second-rate copy of the hero or that he could easily be replaced by a new shadow the next day. Wasn't this what he'd always wanted?

Maybe he should tell them the truth. He'll have to think on this for a little, but maybe there was another way to go about this than to betray them all like he'd initially planned. He might not tell them the whole truth, but maybe just enough so they wouldn't get themselves in trouble.

" _Good of you to join us, Shadow Link._ "

Shadow Link nearly tripped over his feet when he heard Dethl's chorused voice in his head.

" _Keep running, and pretend you do not hear us. We know Vaati is watching, and we do not want him to be suspicious, do we?"_

Shadow Link bit his lip, and continued to run down the street as though he hadn't heard a thing. He glanced once back at the sentry that was following him, and then towards his feet where his shadow was. It flickered unnaturally. Dethl was there.

" _We are impressed by what you have done so far. When you get a chance, meet us in the shade of the oak in the cemetery. We must discuss the final details of the next part of the plan."_

* * *

fleets: Sometimes characters grow on me unexpectedly while I'm writing a story. This time, that character is Vitreous. Poor ol' Vitreous. It was only supposed to be a 'filler' character to take on the role of something scary in town, but I really ended up liking it. It's basically the guy that never gets invited to parties, and if he does miraculously ends up at one, no one wants him there but they never tell him that to his face. It's the guy that means well, but manages to screw up every thing he lays his hands on. RIP Vitreous, you were my awkward party buddy while you lasted.

Also I started using 'They/Them' pronouns for Dethl rather than 'It.' It sounded better when I was writing it that way, so from this chapter onward that's what they'll be referred to (if I'm not feeling lazy I'll go back and fix previous chapters).

I'm also really enjoying everyone's reviews! It seems like a few of you are picking up on some of the little hints here and there about the direction I'll be taking this story, so that's exciting (it's really hard for me to keep my mouth shut about spoilers though ughhh). Thank you so much for your support ahhhh

 **DestructoKat** : Hi there! Hmmm, I have a few guesses as to who you might be haha :) Thank you so much for checking out this story!  
I've been trying to keep Shadow Link faithful to his characterization in the FSA manga (let's hope I succeed! He is pretty tricky).  
I also decided to tone down the gore from what I could have done with it. I did want some level of shock value, since there's a reason why Dethl did what they did, but I figured it's not necessary to describe every single gruesome detail (I did take your comment into consideration :) thank you for that!)

 **AquilaMage:** Shadow was sooo close to deciding to tell the truth this chapter, too. Oops. The answer to the 'why must you do this' is somewhat evident at the end of this chapter :P  
You guys ask good questions! (rhetorical or otherwise). I'm enjoying the challenge of answering them in subsequent chapters ;)

 **Flufux:** Yeah, Darunia and Zelda are both right in their concerns, which makes reaching a compromise that much more difficult D:  
You guessed it! Dethl knew what they were doing when they made an awful display out of the decoy. I do have lots to say on that, so it'll come up in future chapters for sure ;)

 **Vesperupus:** I don't think Sheik will have a big enough mop by the end of this XD

 **Serpent Tailed Angel:** Oh rats, you spoiled my story! Now everyone will know what will happen! XD  
Hahaha yeah I'm probably going to repeat this a lot for several more chapters but... it gets worse lol  
I think Shadow stole the show these last two chapters. Fuu chapters incoming - he's the main character after all, heh.

 **Ai Star:** Definitely a message! Dethl knew the decoy wasn't the real one. This is kind of an important point so it'll come up again in the future :)

 **Lexik:** Pheew again, I really want to thank you for such detailed comments. They were a delight to read, and it really got me thinking about how to present material for the next several chapters! I tried to be more mindful about paragraph breaks this chapter, thank you for the suggestion! (in the past I was really worried about paragraphs that were too short, so I may have overcompensated in my recent stories).  
As for your question on Fuu swearing in a foreign tongue - I'm surprised you caught that! :D It was a small nod to him knowing Minish language :)  
And that's a great description of Dethl! I don't know if you've played Link's Awakening, but Dethl stuck out to me when they spoke using 'we/us' in game. It was creepy when I first read the dialogue, and I loved that. I'll be taking a few liberties on developing their character, since they hardly got one in the game aside from 'endgame boss.'  
And yes! Introverted Zelda. I'm an introvert myself (exactly in the way you described it) so it was easier for me to write her as one. Now that I think about it, I'm not sure if I've ever written an extroverted character aside from (maybe) Link. Maybe that should be on my writer's bucket list...

Ahhh all those other comments. I'm really, really struggling to say something because nothing escapes your notice, does it? ;) I was especially surprised that someone remembered Vaati's count-keeping of the number of times Sheik was honest with him - hold that thought for a bit :3 (it makes me really happy to hear that people are catching some of the small things I throw in to chapters here and there :D )


	15. Regret

fleets: it's past midnight, and i don't know what to say so uhhh, here's a chapter!

The chapter title describes my feeling as I type this past a reasonable waking hour.

* * *

 **Chapter 15: Regret**

Fuu wasn't sure where to look for the princess, and it was a daunting task. There were plenty of places to hide around castle town, and it would be difficult to find someone who didn't want to be found. He decided to make his way back towards the fountain, and then towards the castle where Sheik and Impa had gone. Maybe he could find them there, too, and they could all split up and search.

That is, if Sheik was feeling okay. The last time he saw him, the Sheikah had been agitated and on the verge of a mental breakdown.

He jumped over the metal gates that had fallen, mangled from being run over by something powerful. There were more bodies in the courtyard; castle guards who had fought bravely, but had been no match against the attack. From the looks of some Stalfos armor on the ground next to them, it appeared that a few of the guards had managed to take down some of their assailants with them.

He stopped just in front of the main doors to the castle, trying to decide if he wanted to check the main castle first or make a search outside it. The answer came to him easily when he noticed someone sitting way up high on the tallest tower of the castle. He would have missed them if it weren't for the sun that had finally cast its light over the castle, casting a small shadow of a person against the castle rooftop.

 _That must be Sheik!_

Fuu spent a few seconds coming up with a path that could take him to where Sheik was, and then made a series of three teleports to appear high above on the castle roof. Careful not to slip on the shingles, he made his way over to the person sitting on the roof, observing the destruction below. "Hey Sheik," he started, and then fell quiet when he realized that the person was not the Sheikah as he'd assumed.

It was the young princess of Hyrule, her face messy with stained tears and dirt. She was hugging her knees, her dress bunched up around her like she wanted to disappear. Zelda looked up at him in surprise, and for a moment Fuu thought that he'd seen the reserved glow of buried wisdom in her eyes before.

They stared at each other, speechless for a while, until Fuu finally remembered what it was that he'd been doing. "Princess!" he ran over to Zelda and crouched next to her, concerned. "I'm so relieved. Everyone thought that you were…" he stopped when Zelda turned her head towards the center of castle town below them. From where they were, they could see the town square with the crucifix in the middle. Even though they were high above it, the scene wasn't any less gruesome than it had been up close. Neither of them wanted to be reminded of it. Fuu absentmindedly brushed his bangs away from his face, "Let's get you down from here," he said instead. He reached for Zelda's hand, but she shook her head with a pained expression.

"No it's fine. I would like to stay here a while," she said quietly, her eyes still on castle town.

Fuu wasn't sure about what to do, and his brows furrowed, conflicted. The rooftop was hardly a safe place for a princess. Maybe he could go find someone the princess trusted more. "I'll go find Impa and Sheik. They'll want to know that you're okay."

"Fuu."

Fuu stopped. Maybe his heart had stopped, too, because of the uncanny familiarity of the way Zelda had said his name. He wondered if he'd imagined it, then, the feeling that they knew each other from somewhere. And how did the princess know his name?

"Please stay with me. Just for a while."

Fuu shoved the strange feeling aside. He had a habit of picking up on things that didn't seem to make sense, but now was not the time. He sat down on the roof, and they watched the sun shine over the broken buildings. He bit his lip, and gave a quick glance at the princess before he went back to watching the scene below.

Strange. It was strange. They weren't sitting here like two strangers who'd just met. It was like they'd done this before, sitting on the roof in the early morning and running away from things they didn't want to think about. He almost wanted to ask if they'd spoken before, but he kept his mouth shut because it was a stupid question at a time like this. "We found survivors," he said instead. "Many of them managed to escape into the tunnels. We didn't lose everyone," he kicked himself mentally as soon as the words were out of his mouth. Saying that "not everyone died" did not diminish the fact that many had died. It was a weak consolation.

He sighed, looking at the landscape of unrecognizable streets, filled with debris and dead bodies. At the same time, there wasn't much else he could say to make the situation sound better than it really was.

Fuu flinched a little when he heard the princess murmur something. "What was that?"

"Her name was Agnes," Zelda repeated heavily, the name weighing on her. Her chin rested against her knees, as she stared out at the crucifix. The guays had begun to fly around the town to scavenge from the aftermath of the attack, and some were already gathered around the cross like death's messengers. "She was my decoy. The one down there, on the cross."

 _Ah, that's who I must have seen at the Gerudo camp,_ Fuu thought, remembering now that there was something that was different from the princess in front of him to the one he'd seen before. He couldn't place a finger on what it was, but now that Zelda mentioned it, he could tell there was a difference between the two.

"She always covered for me, whenever I had to be away or if I was travelling to somewhere dangerous. She even did little things, like taking my spot for meetings I didn't feel like going to. She could have had a happier life if it weren't for me." Zelda gritted her teeth, and then picked up a broken shingle next to her and chucked it as far as she could. Then, she buried her face into her hands, helplessly clutching at her hair that fell around her face as though she could wake up from the nightmare. "This is all my fault. If I hadn't been away from the castle, then this wouldn't have happened."

Fuu frowned. "If you had been here, it would have been you who was nailed to the cross."

Zelda averted her gaze in shame. Fuu had meant well, but she knew that what he said could not be true. Dethl hadn't wanted to kill her. They had no reason to kill Agnes like that if they knew that Sheik was the real princess. No, Dethl would not have attacked Hyrule castle if all of the Sheikah hadn't been away. She hugged her knees again, hiding her face against her arms. She couldn't explain to Fuu why she couldn't believe him, so she resigned herself to dealing with the pain of her mistake on her own.

"Princess Zelda, Agnes took her job so that she could serve you in times like this. As do all of us. I would risk my life to save you, too."

Fuu couldn't understand why the princess suddenly looked up at him, her face beautifully tragic with her heart breaking with every word he said. He couldn't have known, then, the guilt that she carried for what she had done to him. He couldn't have known that every word he had said was not his own, but something he'd been tricked into believing.

The guays flew upwards into a startled cloud of black feathers when some people cautiously emerged from hiding in the town below. They greeted the morning sun with joy that they had survived the night, but their happiness was short lived when they saw the death and destruction around them. The sunlight could not drown out the wails of the ones left behind. "Why… why isn't this nightmare ending?" Zelda asked, holding her hands out to the sun, "Aren't nightmares supposed to end when dawn breaks?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Fuu didn't really remember what happened in the next two days. There had been a lot of helping with street cleaning, identifying bodies and helping find family members to give the grim news. Thankfully, help poured in from villages that hadn't been hit by the attack, as Dethl had only targeted the main castle town, and Hyrule's two neighboring kingdoms, Labrynna and Holodrum, had pledged to send relief and help shelter those who had lost homes. The Zoras also agreed to provide shelter to anyone who could make the trip to their domain up the river. Even the Gerudos sent some of their warriors to fend off any straggling monsters in the area that might attack Hyrule again in its moment of weakness. However, there was a noticeable lack of help from the Gorons.

The death toll was high, but the number of survivors had also been more than what Fuu had expected. If it hadn't been for Link and his secret tunnels, there undoubtedly would have been more bodies to remove from the streets. This kind of attack had been unprecedented; never had Hyrule been so brutally attacked. While Hyrule was no stranger to enduring attacks from the likes of Vaati, the wind mage had rarely made sieges that destroyed the main infrastructure or killed civilians on such a large scale. In addition, the purposely horrific displays of violence like the skewered heads had been a new experience for Hyrule. Dethl's goals were clearly different than Vaati's.

Fuu closed the door to his quarters, another busy day gone by. He leaned against the door that he'd closed behind him and gave a long sigh. He hadn't seen Sheik at all since the blond had run off two days ago in front of the crucifix. He'd asked Impa about him, but she only insisted that he was doing okay and wouldn't tell him where he'd gone.

Fuu shook his silvery hair, which was still a little damp after he'd washed himself in the river. The bathhouses had all but been obliterated in the attack, and so they had to resort to the cold river water. Thankfully the season was a warm summer. He squeezed some of the remaining water from his long hair, frowned, and then summoned a small wind with his fingers to dry the moisture.

"Man, we can't get a break, can we?" Shadow Link popped up from the floor, a worn out frown on his face. The shadow dragged his feet over to Fuu's bed and then flopped over across the bedsheets. "I'm getting tired of crawling into houses to find survivors. If they _are_ alive, which they usually aren't, they either think I'm the hero-Link or they scream at me for being the not-hero." He waved his hand lazily towards Fuu. "Can't you just use your little flying eye things to search?"

"People will scream more if they think Vaati returned. Trust me," Fuu said flatly.

"Ugh, I hate this," Shadow grumbled. He chewed thoughtfully at the tip of his hat. "Hey," he asked, "When do you think we'll leave to get the last Dusk Shard?"

Fuu shrugged. "Not sure. Impa's been too busy to deal with anything else right now, and I haven't seen Sheik at all."

"Where is that guy anyway?"

Just then, there was a soft knock on the door. Two raps, the first one slightly more hesitant the second. Fuu had heard it before, and he perked up when he thought he knew who it was. He smiled at Shadow. "I think I know who decided to finally show up."

He opened the door, expecting Sheik to be standing by the entrance. Instead, he found himself face to face with the princess of Hyrule herself.

Shadow Link's jaw dropped behind him. "Don't tell me you were expecting _her?_ "

"I… Princess Zelda, what…?" Fuu stammered.

The princess's head was covered with a dark cowl, but he could recognize those blue eyes anywhere. She pushed Fuu aside with a small apology, and then quickly shut the door behind them. She glanced at the open window shades, and then shot a strict look towards Shadow, making him sit up straight on the bed. "Close the window."

"Uh, sure," Shadow Link jumped off the bed and hurriedly closed the blinds. The two boys stood around awkwardly, unsure of what to do, while Zelda walked across the room and sat herself down on the edge of the bed. Eventually, Shadow Link coughed. "Shouldn't you be at the castle, princess?" he pointed out. He shrunk back when Fuu shot him a warning glare for being rude.

Zelda pulled the cowl away from her face, letting her blond hair fall around her cheeks. She lifted her head slowly as though heavy thoughts weighed it down, until her blue eyes met Fuu's. "I wanted to talk to you."

While Fuu seemed to be trying to figure out how to respond, a devious glint flashed across Shadow Link's eyes. He glanced at Zelda, and then at Fuu, and then gave the latter a quick wink. "Hey, Fuu?" he called, grinning, "I just remembered that I had to be somewhere tonight."

"Shadow… Really?" Fuu was clearly not amused.

"Yeah! I have places to be, people to meet. I'd been putting off this important date and they'll be mad at me if I keep flaking on them. They're kind of clingy and demanding, you know how it goes."

"Shadow…"

"And like, this date is so important that I actually won't be back for the entire night. Did you get that? _I won't be back for the entire ni-"_

" _Shadow!"_

Shadow Link grinned, and before Fuu could say any more, he made for the door, but not before he gave them a cheerful wave goodbye.

Fuu rolled his eyes as the door swung shut, and then shook his head apologetically. "Sorry about that." He leaned against the wall opposite of the princess, who was looking at her hands with a troubled gaze. "Anyways, what brings you here?"

Zelda hung her head again. Since the last time he'd seen her two days ago, she appeared more tired from lack of sleep. Faint dark bags were beginning to appear under her eyes, and the way she carried herself was lethargic. Her admission next surprised him. "I needed someone to talk to," she said quietly.

There was a brief silence while Fuu waited for her to elaborate. After all, he didn't expect her to want to talk to him for the sake of talking to him. It was only after the silence suggested that she really did come to see him just to talk that he lifted his chin in surprise.

Zelda noticed his expression and gave a small, embarrassed laugh. "You must think it strange, no? To have someone you'd hardly spoken to, to suddenly come to your home to talk?"

"I… well…" Fuu said, taken aback. When he regained his composure, he spoke slowly, thinking over his words so as not to offend. "If I'm being honest," he said, "I can't help but think there are others who would be better at listening than I am." Then, he added quickly, "That's not to say that I mind having you here. It's just that I'm also wondering about the consequences if the gossip stones catch wind that the princess had been sneaking into my house at night."

"I don't care about that."

"Sheik might kill me."

For the first time since Fuu had met her, Zelda cracked a real smile. When she chuckled, he was again hit by that sense of familiarity, like he'd seen someone else laugh in that same way; the way she turned away just slightly while lowering her chin as though to hide her smile was something he thought he'd seen before.

"Sheik won't mind, believe me," she assured him, though Fuu didn't look too convinced. "He's told me a lot about you," she said.

Fuu eyes narrowed slightly with suspicion. "He did, did he," he said flatly, his mind immediately racing for all of the possible slander that Sheik could have told the princess.

At this, the princess waved her had with another laugh. "Nothing bad, I assure you!" she insisted. "They're wonderful stories. Sometimes I feel like I know you personally, even though I suppose that's all in my head. I've heard so much about you that I feel like we've known each other for a while, and yet you hardly know anything about me," she looked away, and her brows furrowed as she started playing with her fingers with a complicated expression. "I'm sorry, I know I'm putting you in an uncomfortable situation."

Fuu returned a reassuring smile. "It's okay. I'm just surprised, is all. I've always wanted to speak to you."

The princess tilted her head, curious. "Oh?"

"It seemed like I was the only Sheikah here who hadn't had the chance to talk to you yet."

The princess's smile vanished. "I'm sorry the occasion for meeting with you wasn't on happier terms, then," she said, reminded of why she'd wanted to come speak to Fuu. "I came here to vent because… because I couldn't bother anyone else with it. It's selfish, isn't it?"

"Hey, everyone deserves to be selfish. Even you." He pushed himself off of the wall he was leaning on. "Would you like something to drink? We only have water here, though," he offered.

"That would be nice, thank you."

As Fuu disappeared to grab a glass of water, Zelda took a moment to look around her surroundings. In the beginning, she'd had a hard time imagining Fuu as anyone other than the infamous wind mage. Now, it was just the opposite. It was hardly convincing that the former Sorcerer of Winds, the dark lord of the skies, the master of monsters, had taken residence in this simple, refurbished barracks. Fuu wasn't some kind of evil tyrant who would laugh maliciously as he crushed his foes to dust, no. He was just another teenager, just like her, who'd been thrown into a circumstance he never asked for. She found herself watching Fuu with a curious gaze as he came back with a glass of water in hand.

There were few people she could truly be herself around. There was always a part of her that bit her tongue, stopping herself from saying just what she truly meant or wanted out of the fear that she would misrepresent the princess she was supposed to be. With Fuu, though, it was different. Maybe it was because it was the first time she'd actually made an effort to be friends with someone. _Oh Zelda, do you truly have to make a job out of friendship for you to actually find it?_ she thought with a sad smile. _And with a former demonic sorcerer no less._

"How are you feeling?" Fuu asked, and he joined to sit with her on the bed, passing her the glass of water.

"I…" Zelda hesitated, taking the glass in her hands. She looked up briefly at Fuu's concerned but patient expression. She'd once feared those red eyes that had burned with such savagery, but now she found that it was precisely because Fuu had once been Vaati that she could say what had been gnawing at her mind the last two days. "Vaati never did anything like this," she said.

 _You never did anything like this._

"He was terrible in his own way, attacking settlements and such, but he never attacked anything with an intention to destroy. The majority of structures still remain intact, and although many died, they were almost always soldiers. Not civilians." Zelda had to pause for a second to shake away the things she had seen in castle town within the last two days. She took a sip of water, and then placed the glass on the bedside table. "Vaati's goal was conquest. But with Dethl? No. Dethl doesn't care if there is nothing left to conquer."

"We'll stop them, I promise," Fuu said earnestly.

Silence settled between them as they thought about the monster Dethl that they faced. They were quiet for some time, but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. It was one between two people who were familiar with each other. Their hands were only inches away on the bed, and yet neither of them pulled back. Zelda took a deep breath, feeling slightly better. She'd been nervous at first, when she'd decided to sneak out of the castle to face Fuu as her real self for the first time. Impa would have called it foolish and dangerous, and she would have agreed several days ago. The whole point of her living as Sheik was, after all, to protect herself from Vaati. However, it had been refreshing when she'd been able to talk to Fuu for the first time not as Sheik, but as Zelda two days ago. In a way, it was the closest they'd been to having a truly honest conversation, without deception. "Tell me about yourself. I've heard some things from Sheik, but I want to hear them from you," the princess murmured after a while, changing the topic to something a little less morbid.

"Well, the thing is, I don't really know much about myself," Fuu chuckled. "I woke up one day at the Gerudo Village without a clue of who or what I was. I could remember general things, like my name, and that I was a Sheikah. That's… all of it really."

"Do you ever want to find out about your past?"

At this, Fuu leaned back and fell on the bed so that he was staring up at the ceiling. He then observed the princess carefully, as though trying to make up his mind about something. After a while, he gave a small grin and snapped his fingers. There was a soft red glow from Fuu's eyes as he summoned a sentry eye, and it fluttered about the room before it hovered just in front of Zelda. He smiled when the princess didn't appear phased in the least. "Sure I do," he said with a shrug. He watched Princess Zelda cautiously hold out her hand to the little sentry eye. "I sometimes feel like I've forgotten something important, like I had been on the brink of doing something great. I used to wonder if I had friends who knew what I'd been like, but considering how no one has come to find me yet, I figured I might not have had any. And _that_ makes me wonder if I'll ever run into someone who hates my guts since there's also a possibility that I made plenty of enemies before I forgot everything."

Zelda frowned, but didn't say anything. She didn't really know how to respond to that, so she turned her attention towards the sentry eye that had landed on her hand. She'd once feared these things, too, since it meant that Vaati was watching them. For a moment she had to resist the urge to kill it with holy magic like she had done so many times in the past, but she took a deep breath. The creature was surprisingly light, and it was warm, like it carried a fire.

"Sheik used to give me this really angry glare, and can't help but think that I did something stupid in the past," Fuu continued, laughing. When Zelda looked up at him in alarm, he chuckled, "It's okay, he doesn't anymore. I think he got over it. Still wish he'd tell me what it was that I did, though."

"You're really taking this all in stride," Zelda said, lifting a finger to the little eye sitting on her palm. She pet it on the head, between its two horns.

"So are you," Fuu nodded towards the sentry that was being pet by the princess. "I was expecting you to run out, yelling for the castle guards as soon as you saw me summon that thing."

Zelda frowned. "If you wanted me to leave-" she began, but Fuu shushed her, laughing.

"No, no, it's not that. I just… wanted to see what you would do," he said. "What would you do if someone you trusted turned out to be an enemy all along?" Fuu's grin vanished when he noticed Zelda was looking at him, frozen in shock. When he raised a quizzical eyebrow, she shook her head hurriedly.

"I know you are not. It's just…" she couldn't help but think about what Fuu had just said. "Do you worry about that?" she asked carefully, not sure if she was prepared to know the answer.

"I can't say that it hasn't crossed my mind," he sighed. "I just feel like Sheik is hiding something, and it has to do with my past." He saw Zelda hanging her head again, and he shook his head. "Hey, I don't dwell on it, so neither should you. I respect him, and he probably has a good reason for not telling me about what he knows." He snapped his fingers again, and the sentry eye disappeared from Zelda's hands. "Besides, my personal problems aren't what's important right now. There's bigger things to worry about. You know what that's like, too, don't you?"

In the candlelight, Zelda nodded wordlessly.

It was when Fuu saw Zelda's shoulders shake slightly that he realized he'd said something wrong. He sat up from the bed and leaned over to get a closer look at the princess's face.

Zelda turned her face away, not wanting anyone to see her crying. She tried to steel her expression as she had done countless times in the past, but she couldn't hide her tears. "It's just… I'm sorry," she pushed Fuu away when he started to panic that he'd made her cry. Her hand touched his shoulder, pushing him away. At the same time, he'd grabbed her arm without his earlier reservation about touching her. Their eyes met, and then Zelda broke down from the guilt overcoming her. She reached back and clung to him, sobbing on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Fuu. I'm so sorry for putting you through this."

"It's fine, really," Fuu said quietly, unsure of what to do about the princess crying on his shoulder. She continued to apologize for the crime that she couldn't tell Fuu about. It was then that she'd realized that Darunia had been right, but not for the reasons he'd spoken of. Maybe it could be argued that Vaati deserved whatever punishment he was dealt, but Fuu didn't deserve the life she'd forced upon him. She cried on his shoulder until the exhaustion of the last two days overtook her, and she cried herself to sleep in his arms.

* * *

fleets: ok so, half of me totally wants all of the characters to be happy together, and the other half can't wait to smash it all to pieces.

anyone catch that shadow link's 'date' is with Dethl? ;)

i regret writing this at 12 in the morning and i know i'm going to regret posting this when i did. but i'm going to do it anyway, because i'm not thinking straight and i have to stay true to the chapter title and actually do something i'm going to regret. (definitely going to rewrite/cleanup this story some day oy)

ALSO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR EVERYONE: what are people's opinions on pairings? I get the general sense that most people don't really want them in adventure stories like this, but i could be totally wrong. i won't say where i'll go with anything depending on opinions, but it's something i'm genuinely curious about and it's going to affect my writing a bit.

 **Serpent Tailed Angel: T** he key distinction to keep in mind is working 'for' or working 'with'? I think there's a big difference depending on which, and hopefully I can demonstrate that in the writing :P And ahh yeah that's what it's looking like, ey? :)

 **Ai Star:** A+ for Bad Life Choices :P

 **AquilaMage:** The struggles continue. Poor Link is not have a Good Time at all in this story. I can't say a single good thing has happened to him so far. That just means I like him, 'cause that's what authors do, yeah? XD


	16. Truth

fleets: I have to thank every single one of you who gave me feedback regarding pairings! The general idea that I hear is that I should do what makes me happy with the story, and that's exactly what I'm going to do! :D Before, I'd been trying really hard not to include any pairings because I was worried that people would hate that, but now I'm going to let the characters do their own thing, and see how it goes. If it happens it happens, if it doesn't, then that's fine too? :)

I'm sorry if this is a short-ish chapter. I admit it's kind of a filler/set-up chapter, but a really important one at that. Well, you'll see what I mean by it.

* * *

 **Chapter 16: Truth**

It was the first time in a while where Fuu had been able to sleep in without being interrupted. His eyes opened slowly, appreciating how quiet it was. He rolled over where he lay on the floor and then stared at the ceiling while he gradually remembered what had happened the night before. He remembered falling asleep on the floor, while the princess…

 _The princess_.

Fuu shot up from where he lay, throwing his blankets off of himself. He turned to look towards the bed where he'd left the princess, only to find it empty. He sighed, somewhat disappointedly, and then slowly picked himself up from the floor to stretch. The bed was made neatly, and it was almost as though the princess had never visited at all.

He'd panicked a little last night, when he'd realized that the princess had unwittingly fallen asleep on his shoulder. He'd considered waking her up and walking her back to the castle, but she'd appeared so tired and worn out that he would've felt bad about shaking her awake. Even when he'd laid her down on his bed, she'd only grumbled, half-awake, before falling back to sleep.

Dragging his feet towards the window, he threw open the window shades, the sun blinding him momentarily. From the way it was already at the peak of the sky, it was apparent that it was already noon. He noticed a small card on the table.

He picked it up, a tiny smile appearing on his face when he read the message on the card. It was written in an official, rigid script, but with a subtle slant and cautious curls in an effort to be friendly. "Thank you for your patience," it read. He couldn't help but chuckle, finding it endearing how the princess was businesslike out of habit, but was trying to be friendly nonetheless. He folded up the card and hid it between a dusty book that had been left in the barracks by its previous residents: he didn't really need Shadow Link making all sorts of cheeky insinuations about what had happened between them last night when he saw the card.

Speaking of which, Shadow Link was also nowhere to be found.

He picked up the blankets on the floor and pulled it towards Shadow Link's closet. He tossed it back into the closet where he'd borrowed the blankets from, but not before peering in, wondering if Shadow had returned.

It was empty.

It was strange: it was the first morning that he'd truly had to himself, and yet he couldn't seem to enjoy the solitude. Fuu looked out of the window. From the barracks, it was difficult to see the full extent of the damage the Hyrule had endured. Was still enduring. Still, he knew what the streets would look like if he'd left his quarters, and he knew that somewhere out there, Dethl was waiting to strike again. He didn't deserve to relax until Dethl was defeated; he'd promised Zelda that.

Fuu quickly got changed, washed his face, and grabbed some leftover sandwiches from the day before. He ran out the door and made for the castle. There was bound to be someone there who could give him something to do.

The Sheikah ran up the steps to the main gate and made his way inside as he finished his food. This time, there were no guards to stop him from entering the castle, as the few that remained had been stationed elsewhere.

As soon as he'd stepped inside, he heard raised voices. To his surprise, he saw Impa and Sheik arguing with each other in the center of the main hall. It was the first time he'd seen Sheik since they'd returned to Hyrule from Death Mountain.

"At least let us think of other options," he heard Impa say. From the way she reached towards Sheik, it was almost like she wanted to stop him. Sheik waved the guardian's arm away irritably.

"There _are_ no other options. We cannot wait for another attack to occur. If the Dusk Shards work, then we can end this in a matter of days."

"Let me be the one to go, Sheik. It's safer here."

"It's no safer here than out there, Impa! The last attack is proof of that. I have to go." Sheik noticed Fuu approach them. "Hello, Fuu," he said, sounding a little irritated that Fuu had walked in on his conversation with Impa.

Sheik's attitude didn't go unnoticed by Fuu, and he threw his hands up in the air as he stormed over. "Sheik, I haven't seen you at all. Where've you been?" he demanded.

"I…" Sheik hesitated, and then shook his head, evading the question. "That doesn't matter right now."

"Are you kidding me? I've been worried about you after you ran off like that, and you couldn't even drop by to tell me you were okay?"

Sheik's eyes narrowed, and then he averted his gaze. He'd been agitated the last few days, and he'd forgotten that while he'd 'met' with Fuu as Zelda, Fuu wasn't aware that he and Zelda were the same person. In fact, Zelda hadn't been Sheik at all in the last few days. She hadn't been able to bring herself to disguise as Sheik because Agnes had died in her place. If she'd been who she was supposed to be, back at the castle, as Princess Zelda, then…

"So? What's going on?" Fuu sighed, not pressing the matter further but still annoyed by Sheik's silence.

Sheik, thankful that the topic was dropped, relaxed his clenched fingers. He further hid his face sheepishly behind his mask, ashamed that Fuu was right about everything he'd said. He hadn't been a good friend the last few days. "We're going to the Desert Temple. Today." Then, he waved his hand, motioning for Fuu to follow, and he made his way towards the doors. He ignored the voice in his head that was pointing out that, once again, he was using Fuu so that he could leave his conversation with Impa.

Impa took one last step forwards, one hand outstretched unconvincingly like she already knew that she wouldn't be able to stop them. "Sheik…" she pleaded, but her voice held reservation. She knew what Sheik was going to say.

"Impa, one of us has to stay here and make sure Hyrule isn't attacked again. It has to be you." Sheik said with finality. He said it in a way that suggested that he'd already made up his mind, but from the way he cast his gaze away from his mentor, it was clear that he wished there was another way. "If we leave now, we can reach the temple by sundown. Afterwards, we'll go to the Gerudos and ask for their help to fight Dethl; Hyrule is in no state to send soldiers right now," he explained. "If this works, everything will be over in the next few days."

Impa lowered her hand. She wanted to stop him, and was worried about his safety especially now that his identity was known to Dethl, but Sheik was right. Dethl had shown that not even Hyrule castle was safe, and their demonstration suggested that if the monsters really wanted to, they could destroy the entire kingdom with a couple of devastating attacks. They could not afford to wait.

"Did I hear someone say we're going to the Desert Temple today?"

Everyone turned to see Shadow Link leaning against the wall, blending in with the empty armor beside the staircase that led to the upper floors of the castle. He waved when he saw that everyone was looking at them.

"Shadow? Since when did you get here?" Fuu asked when Shadow Link pushed himself off of the wall and hopped over to join them.

"I saw you running off towards the castle and I followed you," he replied. Then, he noticed Fuu eyeing him suspiciously and Shadow Link wrinkled his nose unhappily. "Look, you don't ask about my night and I won't ask about yours, alright?" he muttered. He crossed his arms over his chest with a huff, making it clear that he wanted to drop the subject. Fuu thought nothing of it, assuming that Shadow Link had got what he deserved for being such a twat the night before.

Sheik made for the door, a silent glance towards Fuu to let him know that they were leaving.

"Sheik," Impa stopped him one last time, just as they pushed the doors open, letting the sunlight shine indoors. "Be careful out there."

Sheik nodded, and then returned a gentle smile, letting Impa know that he didn't resent her for trying to stop him. He knew that she knew, that there was nothing else that could be done. The doors closed, and the space around Zelda's guardian seemed all the darker when the sun disappeared behind it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sheik, Fuu, and Shadow Link made their way towards the Desert Temple within the hour. On horseback, the trip was going to be much quicker than it had been their first time travelling there in a caravan. Sheik led the way as the unspoken leader of the group, with Fuu riding on his right but trailing just enough to indicate that he was following. Sheik remembered the first time they had made the trip from the Desert Temple, travelling in the opposite direction that they were going now. He recalled how cold he and Fuu had been to each other, mostly from misunderstandings and his own trepidation that Fuu had once been the infamous wind mage.

One memory stood out to him, and that was when he'd been in the caravan with Fuu, and the other had been purposely trying to provoke him into an… honest reaction. He'd been acting coldly towards Fuu, and at first he'd assumed that he'd acted that way out of his anger towards Vaati. However, this entire experience with Fuu, and even Shadow Link, had forced him to confront sides of himself that he never really recognized. While it was true that he'd been cold to Fuu, he'd realized just recently that he'd been like this to others as well. He was always emotionally closed towards people, preventing them from getting too close and letting them see him for who he really was. It was the same when he was Zelda, too, only showing people certain emotions that were appropriate of someone of her position. Zelda smiled and socialized more than Sheik did, but at the end of it all they were both the same. Neither of them were honest about their own feelings.

He'd never really thought about this much, because no one until Fuu had confronted him about it so directly. No one called him out on his bullshit the way Fuu did. Not even Impa, who he'd always sensed had held back, too, particularly because she couldn't bring herself to be too harsh to the Princess of Hyrule. In fact, in the same way that Zelda wasn't honest to others, few people were real to her.

Few people, except Fuu. Sheik supposed that Vaati had been like that in a way, too. He didn't hold back, not with his emotions nor his words. Nothing stopped him from being who he was or doing what he wanted.

Beside him, Fuu had his gaze straight ahead towards the flattening horizon of the desert. The grass grew sparse here, and they passed fewer trees as they neared the desert. The pale Sheikah hadn't said much since they'd left Hyrule Castle, and his piercing red eyes revealed not a single flicker of emotion as he rode next to Sheik determinedly. Sheik remembered the things Fuu had said about him earlier, about how disappointed he'd been that Sheik couldn't let him know that he was okay, and about the fact that he knew that he was hiding something. In those words, was an unspoken accusation that while Sheik had claimed that he trusted Fuu, these actions said otherwise.

Shadow Link had pointed out that Sheik didn't know what friendship was. And now, seeing Fuu riding silently alongside him almost out of obligation from the way a cold atmosphere had settled between them, he knew that Fuu was upset with him, and for good reason.

Sheik looked down at his hands, tightening his grip around his horse's reigns. He was thankful that Shadow Link was also quiet, and not making any inappropriate interjections as he was often wont to do. He glanced at Fuu again, wondering if he could do the right thing for once.

"Fuu," Sheik said. He noticed a throat clenching hesitation filled with second guesses and doubts, but he forced himself to keep talking. "I'm sorry I haven't been straight with you."

"I know."

Fuu's response was immediate, as though he'd already known this. Sheik was about to sigh and end the conversation there, but then he noticed that Fuu no longer appeared angry with him. Instead, the other Sheikah flashed a smile, and it was then that Sheik realized that this was something he should have done a long time ago. "When we come back, you're going to tell me everything," Fuu grinned.

Sheik returned a relieved smile. A heavy weight over his chest that he hadn't realized had been there suddenly lifted, almost like he'd taken a breath for the first time. "Yeah. I will."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Desert Temple was just as they'd left it a little over a week ago. _Had it really only been that long?_ Sheik thought as they tied their horses to a tree near the entrance. So much had happened since then, it felt like months had passed instead.

There were no monsters patrolling the area this time, and it was an almost peaceful quiet that fell around them as the sun began to set. They stepped inside the temple, the blood that had been spilled was now dry and gave the stone walls a rusty red color. "Well Shadow?" Sheik asked, lighting a torch to help them see the way.

"Over here," Shadow Link pointed to the wall immediately on their left. There on the wall, in plain view, was the same ominous carving of the eye.

For a brief moment, Sheik noted how unusually reserved Shadow Link was compared to his usual self. He didn't cackle as much, or grin mischievously after making some kind of irritating remark to get a reaction out of everyone. No, today he almost appeared… nervous? His gaze was lowered as though he were deep in thought, and he didn't jump into the middle of conversations like he usually did.

"You guys stay back. You might set off some traps," Sheik heard Fuu say as the other walked up to the carving. Sheik's suspicion towards Shadow Link growing, he turned his back towards Fuu and kept an eye on the shadow. While he did decide to place his trust in Shadow Link out of his respect for Fuu's wishes, there was something that didn't quite sit right with how Shadow was behaving in the last few hours. He knew the look of a cornered man when he saw one…

"Shadow…" Sheik said quietly, and the doppelganger barely lifted his chin to acknowledge that he'd heard him, "you'd tell us if there was something wrong, wouldn't you?"

Before he could get a response, there was a loud shout from behind him, and he turned around just to see Fuu fall on his knees, one hand still grasping the carving while the other cradled his head. The walls glowed red with hundreds of eye symbols appearing all across the stone before they all vanished. Where the carving once was, a corridor was revealed that led further into the temple. "Fuu!" Sheik shouted, and began to run forward to help. However, something abruptly hit him across the head, and he was sent toppling forward. He hit the cold hard floor with a loud whack while Shadow Link's hurried footsteps dashed towards Fuu. Fighting to stay conscious, Sheik crawled to his knees only to see Shadow Link grab something from Fuu's side pouch with deft fingers.

 _The other two shards!_

Sheik gritted his teeth and pulled himself up on his feet to follow Shadow Link, but he was too fast. Shadow Link vanished down the corridor and disappeared around the corner.

Dazed, Sheik walked slowly towards where Fuu lay crouched, still holding his head. Fuu's shoulders were shaking, and his pale complexion was greyer than usual. "Hey, are you okay?" Sheik asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. Without warning, Fuu sprang backwards, hitting his hand away.

"Voice… there was a voice…" Fuu stammered, his voice wavering. He spoke in unfocused fragments, and it was difficult to make sense of what he was saying. He backed up against the wall, staring at Sheik like he was in some kind of nightmare. "And that spell I… Wrath. I'm… Wrath…"

"Come on, Fuu, we have to catch that bastard Shadow. You're not making much sense."

"N-no... you don't understand. That voice was… that voice was…" Fuu shook his head, steadying himself against the wall. "I heard my own voice in my head. I was… laughing. Wrath," he repeated.

Sheik walked over and gently shook the agitated Fuu's shoulders. "Fuu, it's okay. Whatever it was you saw is gone now. We have to-"

"Don't you get it, Sheik?" Fuu snapped, pushing Sheik away for the second time. Something stirred behind his eyes, like he could see what he had been blind to all along, "The voice was Vaati's but it was also mine. Don't you get it?"

Sheik never had time to react, because in that moment, pitch black tendrils shot up from the floor and twisted themselves around their ankles. It yanked them down into the corridor, dragging them quickly. The torches blew out from the gust, and Sheik and Fuu were brought into the darkness of the temple. The tendrils continued to drag them along the ground until they swung the two Sheikah up into the air and slammed them back onto the floor, knocking the wind out of them both.

Coughing for air, Sheik tried to push himself up on one elbow while he reached for his dagger with the other. However, something wrapped around his wrists and pinned him helplessly back onto the ground. "Shadow, if you'd triggered a goddess damned trap…" Sheik growled, trying to figure out just who or what his assailants were.

It was then that he noticed that it wasn't as dark as he'd thought it was, wherever the strange black tendrils had dragged them off to. He could make out a soft, deep purple glow not dissimilar to the color of smoke left behind by dead monsters. The glow was coming from a tall mirror in the middle of the room, but to say it was a mirror was deceiving for it did not reflect any light. A sinking feeling began to weigh heavily on Sheik when he realized that the mirror was of the same material as the so-called "Dusk Shards," and on the topmost corner of its surface was cracked and shattered. Two pieces of it had been placed carefully to restore it; it was only missing a last, third piece…

"I never said I was helping you, Sheik," Sheik heard Shadow Link say from somewhere to his left. He saw a faint glimmer in the low light, and then he saw the outline of a person as his eyes gradually adjusted. Shadow Link was holding the last piece of the mirror in his hand.

"What about Fuu? You said you were helping him!" Sheik demanded, understanding finally dawning on him on what Shadow Link was about to do. He'd only heard about the fabled Dark Mirror in rumors and stories, and he'd doubted its existence until he saw the strange artifact before him. And, if that was true, then what Shadow Link intended wasn't to trap Dethl back to the Dark World.

It was to summon them completely to this one.

Shadow Link tossed the last shard of the mirror in his hand a few times, and then shrugged. "Well, I guess we're all liars here, aren't we?" he said quietly. Then, with one swift movement he slammed the last piece into the missing hole in the mirror.

As soon as he did so, a dull light spread through Shadow Link's fingertips. His skin tone became lighter, like the shadow within had left. The colors of his hair and eyes became more vibrant, and a flush appeared on his cheeks. He looked more alive.

And then, in that same instance, the tendrils that held Fuu and Sheik on to the floor trembled. Dozens of pupil less black eyes appeared all along their length, staring at the captives with repulsive intensity.

" _Ah, how different it feels to be in this world. At last."_

The ringing, chorused voice. Dethl. More and more eyes appeared in the darkness, all of them with the same, pupil less gaze. As they spoke, a heavy drowsiness hit Sheik, and he struggled to stay awake.

" _We cannot see their minds as easily as in nightmares, Shadow. Is this what it's like for you, all of the time, we wonder?"_

Sheik didn't hear what Shadow Link said in response, because in that instance his consciousness slipped for a moment into a sudden sleep. He was brought back from the endless darkness and into the first nightmare a few seconds later when the grip around his ankles loosed just a little, and Dethl began to talk again.

" _Hmm, then perhaps we didn't give you enough credit. We will have to explore these new limitations further."_

Something cold and smooth brushed against Sheik's right hand. A large, black spherical mass had moved past him, and then a large eye about five feet in diameter opened in the center. It observed Fuu, who was lying on the ground and staring up at the ceiling, shock written across his face. However, the shock wasn't of someone who was terrified. It was disbelief mixed with rage.

Sheik froze when he saw that expression. It was all too recognizable… he'd seen it before…

" _But before that, how wonderful that we can all finally gather around like this for the first time._ "

The blinding rage that burned behind the fire of those red eyes. Sheik had seen it before, in a field glowing orange with embers and ash floating in the wind.

" _Wouldn't you agree, Vaati?_ "

When Shadow Link had first called Fuu by his real name, Fuu had denied that he was the sorcerer of winds. This time however, he did no such thing, and continued to lay there, silent, with a terrible rage and realization burning behind those fierce eyes.

And now, lying helpless on the floor, Sheik wasn't sure if he feared Dethl or Fuu more.

* * *

fleets: eyyyy cliffhangers.  
i'm going to say right now that i'm vaazel trash, especially one featuring a somewhat introverted, duty focused zelda. The Vaati I characterize doesn't give two apple pies about what other people think, and he just goes and does whatever he wants. Zelda, however, is the polar opposite to that, and that's why I ship 'em. Well, that's one of the reasons why I do. If the pairing actually happens, well, I'm not going to stop it. But I'm not going to force it, either.

I'm pretty stoked about the next chapter. Get ready for the feels train.

 **Reily96:** A small irrational voice in my head was pretty much screaming at me when I was writing the last chapter to go ahead and let Zelda and Fuu squish their faces together. Good thing my rational voice was louder. aha.  
Answers coming very soon! ish! And thanks! I wasn't sure about how much of Hyrule I wanted to destroy, and eventually I thought, 'hey why not. Monsters are freakin' scary."

Also thank you for the pairing suggestion. AND SAME I relate to your confusion about including sexual tension in everything and I'm just? like? really? Hmm, that's a good point about character-driven vs. plot driven. I'm probably more of a plot driven writer myself, which is why I almost got caught up in the whole "pairing wut?" conundrum until you guys grounded me again haha.

 **fanakatsuki:** I am vaazel trash so that's probably one of the pairings that has a high likelihood of showing up, if it does show up. I also liked the idea of vaadow earlier, but ionno anymore. It's all up in the air! But at least now I'm not going to try and go out of my way to stop pairings if they happen :)  
Hmmm, hold that thought about the whole "what would happen if Fuu remembers his past" deal. ;)

 **Ai Star:** I think it's safe to say that pretty much everyone is cracking at this point haha. Well, except maybe Dethl, but they're already kind of cray cray anyway. XD

 **AquilaMage:** Oh! I'm glad you like the way she's being portrayed :) This Zelda is a little different than the one in WIR. A lot more introverted, and a little more immature in how she handles tough situations (although it can be argued that this Zelda has gone through way more trauma than the WIR version). She also expresses herself as Sheik, which wasn't the case with the WIR Zelda :)  
Thank you so much for the advice! It really helped and put my mind at ease regarding my final decision. And you're right, I totally understand that feeling regarding adventure stories. :)

 **Flufux:** And that's the tough part, isn't it? Balancing the adventure plot with the romance plot (among any other multitude of side-plots) can be a tricky deal. I was kind of surprised that the pairing consideration snuck up on me from nowhere, because I hadn't been planning on pairings at all, and then I began to see it as a possibility several chapters in. Based on everyone's comments, I'm just going to let the story go where it wants to go, and not try to actively stop something that's there (or forcefully include it).  
And oh yeah, Dethl's a scary sob in this story. There's a reason why they're 'nightmare incarnate.' More on that in the next chapter, you guys haven't seen anything yet... ;)

 **Vesperupus:** Interesting that you bring up how Dethl wanted to make things as nightmarish as possible. Keep that thought ;)  
And thank you for your comment regarding pairings! At this point I don't know what these characters decide to do regarding pairings, but at the very least I know that I'm no longer going to try and stop something from happening :)

 **Lexik:** Ahhhhh! Link's Awakening has such a great ending and story, I highly recommend that you finish it! The entire premise of the story is just so tragic...  
And yup! Thank you for catching that :) I figured Vaati wouldn't be bothered by blood, but he would be pretty upset about failure.  
Sooo regarding Shadow/Dethl motives and "Dusk Shards." There's some answers this chapter? More on the way though ;)  
"Emotionally unfair game" is a good way to describe what Zelda's been doing to Fuu. I tried to address that a little more this chapter, because all of Sheik/Zelda's interactions with Fuu have almost always been one-sided (Fuu making an effort to communicate, and Sheik/Zelda pulling away). The biggest problem of course is the fact that there's a big ol' lie hanging over Sheik's head, the one regarding Fuu's real identity. :O  
And thank you for the comments regarding pairings! I really appreciated everyone's comments and took them into consideration :) It seems like no one here is adamantly against any kind of pairing, as long as it doesn't just show up out of nowhere. I'll be letting the story run its course on its own, and see where it takes me rather than try to control it :)


	17. Darkness Returned

fleets: I couldn't just leave you guys with the last chapter ahhhh  
also I was SUPER stoked to be able to finally write this chapter. :D

Also I should probably give a warning that this chapter gets a little um... stabby...

I'm trying hard to tone down the violence but some parts need to be disturbing, so there's only so much I can tone down. I think this will be the last of my disclaimers: it's safe to assume from here on out that I'll be including stabby scenes on a possibly regular basis. Just give a shout if it's too much (or too little, cause i can definitely dial it up).

Thanks for sticking it with me so far, I really, really appreciate it :)

* * *

 **Chapter 17: Darkness Returned**

In the dim light of the desert temple, the dozens of eyes that belonged to the Nightmare Dethl peered over at Fuu who was staring angrily at the ceiling from where he was pinned down on the floor. They stared intently for a while, and then seemingly made up their mind and backed away, resuming conversation. " _That expression, that is anger, is it not? We can no longer read your minds_ ," it mused, and then several of the eyes in the room turned to Shadow Link who was standing by the mirror quietly. " _Shadow Link, is that anger_?"

"I don't know, Dethl. I think he looks happy," Shadow Link shot sarcastically.

" _Truly? This is more difficult than we thought_ ," a tendril tapped the large eye as though it were troubled. It observed Fuu again, reevaluating the diagnosis, and then it asked again, " _Are you certain that you are not mistaken, Shadow?_ "

"Why don't you ask him, Dethl?" Shadow Link replied, annoyance building in his voice.

" _Annoyance? We sense impatience. Ah, so you must think our questions… silly, perhaps. Then we must have been right all along._ " The multitude of eyes peering at Fuu and Sheik backed away and gathered over next to the Dark Mirror. They blinked in sync, giving the illusion of one creature made of many. " _We understand that your memories are broken, Vaati, and in a way, it was instigated by us when we left you for dead in that final battle. We will be straight with you; we intended for you to die. However, we hope there are no hard feelings between us, Vaati, because you left us with no choice. Shadow, too_."

All this time, Fuu barely made any indication that he was aware of what was going on around him. The corners of his eyes occasionally twitched, like an unpleasant thought had hit him, but other than that he lay completely still, glaring at a single spot in the ceiling over his head. Dethl rambled on, almost as though they were eager to justify themselves.

" _You broke the Dark Mirror and hid away the pieces to a place we could not reach. You did not want us or Shadow to have influence in this world. We could not have the same kind of influence without the Dark Mirror restored, and you would not reason with us. You left us with no choice_." The eyes blinked slowly again, observing Fuu's reaction. " _Still angry, hmm_ ," Dethl mumbled disappointedly. Finally they decided to release their hold on Fuu. The tendrils around Fuu's wrists and ankles loosened slowly, and Dethl waited in anticipation for a new response from the silent Fuu. Dejection could be seen on Dethl's eyes when it seemed like Fuu was going to continue lying there, but then, after a few seconds, Fuu's fingers clenched into a fist. Pleased by some kind of reaction, Dethl said excitedly, " _But ah, see, good fortune would have it that you would survive, and the Dark Mirror would be restored as we wished. In fact, you had hidden the shards so well that if you had truly died, then we may not have succeeded in restoring the Mirror. It must truly be the work of fate that you survived, and with no memory of our treachery for this to be allowed to occur. Now the three of us can discuss matters as_ equals _._ "

Dethl eagerly waited for a reaction. They seemed to hang on to every movement, every response, observing each change in expression with fascination. Finally, Fuu sat up and he rubbed his wrists where the black tendrils had held him before. His was contemplative, when he said slowly, "You're not lying…" He pointedly turned his head away from Sheik who was still helplessly pinned to the floor.

At this Dethl, cackled, and the sound of a crowd laughing rang in the room. " _And why would we? We'll even admit that we used you to reach the shards of the Dark Mirror_ ," they exclaimed. The largest eye disappeared into the darkness before it reappeared beside Sheik. Sheik was lifted into the air, and Dethl dangled the Sheikah in front of Fuu, amused. " _No, the ones who are truly lying are those who were never on your side to begin with, Vaati. One of them is here_."

Sheik twisted one of his arms free from the tendrils' grip, and with a quick motion grabbed a dagger hanging from his waist and cut himself free. "Fuu, don't listen to them they're manipulating you," he shouted, before doubled the number of tendrils trapped him once again.

Dethl scoffed. " _And you aren't?_ " the eyes turned towards Fuu, smug. " _You see how twisted they are, Vaati? Look what they did to you. How far you've fallen._ "

Fuu had never looked more enraged than he did now. He said nothing, though his eyes twitched from time to time while he glared at an empty space in front of him, lost in thought. He refused to look at Sheik, and from the way his shoulders shook, he was using every effort he had not to blow up in a rage. The silence was truly the calm before a storm, the tension crackling in the air. However, within that bottled rage were flashes of bewilderment, and his brows dipped uncertainly like he couldn't make sense of the story that was becoming clearer.

Dethl delighted in their own observation. " _Ah, the look on your face_ ," the creature slithered behind the mirror and the eyes gathered next to Fuu. " _This world truly is different than the nightmare realm, we cannot read your thoughts as easily._ " One of the eyes, attached to a stalk like some headless snake, approached Fuu and peered at him closely. " _That expression must be confusion_ ," Dethl wondered aloud, " _perhaps you want to tell us that we are lying, but something stops you. And now, you're wondering if maybe we aren't lying after all_."

Fuu's head tilted ever so slightly by Dethl's comments. Then, he exhaled, and then stood up slowly, absentmindedly brushing the sand off of himself. He faced Dethl with that same silent stare, turning their words over in his head. Still hanging upside down helplessly where Dethl held him, Sheik tried to reach out to the former sorcerer.

"Fuu…," Sheik said, his voice beginning to waver now.

Dethl interrupted him, commanding attention once again. "We _were on your side, Vaati. You were insistent that the Dark Mirror not be restored, and we had to kill you if we wanted to explore this world. This world is so much more fascinating than the nightmare world, where we are like gods. We know exactly what can and will happen in dreams, but here? Everything is delightfully unpredictable and real. For instance, if we told you that you are Vaati, what would you do? Your reactions have been fascinating so far. And the fear on the Sheikah's face is so_ intriguing _,_ " they added wrapping another tendril around Sheik's neck.

Fuu broke his stare from Dethl, and then turned to Sheik for the first time since they'd been caught by the nightmare. He narrowed his eyes when he saw Sheik flinch, afraid of him.

"Fuu don't…," Sheik pleaded.

A chilling smile, full of cold cynicism, flashed across Fuu's face. "Don't _what,_ Sheik? Afraid of me?" He waited for an answer, his expression becoming colder for every second that Sheik refused to answer. Eventually, he nodded towards Dethl. "Is Dethl lying?" he asked, "Answer me, Sheik."

"I…"

Fuu stormed over to Sheik and roared, "Answer me!"

"Would you honestly trust Dethl more than you trust me? _!_ " Sheik shouted back, his composure breaking in a fit of desperation. He was silenced by a sinister chuckle in his ear, and Dethl interrupted the conversation.

" _Ah, a wonderful question, if we can interrupt_ ," the nightmare creature glided in between them, half the eyes looking towards Fuu and the other half looking at Sheik. " _Perhaps we can help you answer that question_."

Sheik was lifted into the air a few feet higher as the multitude of eyes peered at him contemplatively. There was a ripple of hushed whispers as Dethl spoke to themselves. After a few seconds, their eyes brightened, and with a swift movement the tendrils that held Sheik slammed him into the ground. A dull glow of dark magic flickered along the tendrils and converged on the stunned Sheikah, and then there was a dying flash as Sheik's magic was dispelled.

And there, in the place of the Sheikah warrior, was the princess of Hyrule herself.

Fuu's cold gaze momentarily broke in surprise, and he had to steady himself out of shock. He stared speechless at Princess Zelda. The princess slowly opened her eyes, wincing from being slammed against the ground, and then she, too, fell into stunned silence when she realized what Dethl had done. Fuu stammered at the princess who was looking at him in fear. "Sheik you're…" he began, but he lost his voice. They stared at each other for several long seconds, both afraid of what they saw. Eventually, Fuu's expression hardened into a terrible glare. "I see. I see it all now. Everything makes so much sense," he murmured. He paced the ground for a few steps, and then stopped just in front of the princess. "You must have thought it was hilarious, hmm, watching me go along with all of you like a fool."

Zelda's eyes widened, and then she shook her head fervently. Imploringly. "No, that's not how it was. You don't understand."

"What don't I understand? _!"_ Fuu snapped, shouting now. "That all this time you were lying to me about who I really was? _!_ That you were just using me to get what you wanted?"

"We… didn't have a choice," Zelda said quietly, turning her head in shame.

"Liar!"

"It was either this, or to kill you, Fuu! Would you rather have died?"

"What makes you think I prefer this? I thought my memory loss was an accident, and it turns out that you were behind it!"

"We gave you a second chance, Fuu!"

Zelda regretted her words as soon as she spoke them, and she knew she'd made a mistake when Fuu stopped shouting, an outright malicious expression on his face. She shrunk back, burying her head in her hands while Fuu's voice cut through the air like a sharp knife. "My name," he hissed, "is Vaati. _Princess._ "

"I'm sorry. I was going to tell you-," she began, but the hopeless defeat in her voice indicated that she knew that it was done.

"Tell me?" Fuu, or rather Vaati, scoffed, "You were going to tell me after you'd used me to defeat _them_." He waved his hand angrily at Dethl and Shadow Link, who were watching the confrontation unfold in silence. Vaati scowled at them, before rounding on Zelda again, his voice just barely above a whisper. "At least they have no illusions about what they've done. But you? You have the nerve to tell me that you did it to give me a _second chance?_ One that I didn't even ask for?" he snorted, "Don't make me laugh."

"You're right. I'm sorry. I…" Zelda hid her face in her hands, her voice becoming muffled against her satin gloves. There was nothing she could say.

"Shadow Link was right about you." Vaati's nose was wrinkled with disdain as he watched the princess, now devoid of any will to fight. He took one last look at Dethl and Shadow, and with a shake of his head, began to walk towards the exit. "I'm done with you," he hissed, "With all of you."

Dethl, who had been observing in intrigued quiet, jumped up and hurried over to stop Vaati. Several black tendrils shot up from the ground, and they merged together to turn into an enormous black claw. " _But we are finally reunited, the greatest alliance in the world!_ " they exclaimed, as the claw scooped Vaati back up from the ground and brought him back over to where everyone was gathered. Vaati's single red eye that wasn't hidden by his bangs slowly swiveled towards Dethl, while the nightmare continued to babble excitedly. " _Now that the Dark Mirror is restored, we can match your power. Join us-"_

A sudden, overwhelmingly powerful force erupted in the chamber, causing the Dark Mirror to shudder and the others to be thrown against the walls. The darkness that had been in the room suddenly withdrew into a small corner until it was a murky sphere only a fraction of the size it had occupied before. A single, large eye blinked open, and Dethl shrunk back in awe at the thing in front of them.

It was another black sphere of malevolent energy, with three pairs of bat wings that flapped in a slow rhythm. A bloodshot red eye rimmed with gold opened with searing malice, and large claws appeared by its side. The claws flicked dangerously in warning.

" _I said I'm done,"_ the eye repeated. When Dethl nodded, another powerful gust swept through the room, and Vaati's Wrath was gone.

It took several, long seconds for everyone to get their bearings together after what had just happened. The dark sphere that was Dethl gradually expanded as time passed, and a few more of their smaller eyes blinked open. They glanced over to Shadow Link, who was pressed against the wall next to it and was craning his neck towards the exit to make sure Vaati had really disappeared. When Shadow noticed them looking at him, Dethl quickly recovered from its initial surprise. " _Hmph! Well it's not like we need him_ ," Dethl declared huffily, " _he's exhausted his usefulness_."

"Haha… yeah," Shadow Link laughed nervously. He didn't want to admit it, but he hadn't expected Fuu to transform into Vaati's Wrath. _The… cooler Vaati, huh?_ he shook the thought away as soon as he'd thought it. Dethl was right: they were done with Vaati. He could worry about him if the sorcerer ever decided to come back. Unlikely.

Shadow ignored the heavy feeling in his chest, and instead tried to focus on what he'd gained. For the first time, he didn't feel the constant tug of the invisible force that tried to pull him away from this world. For the first time, the world felt like it was his; that he wasn't just an unwelcome visitor here. But at the same time…

Shadow Link looked over to where Dethl was, in the middle of wrapping the princess with dozens of its black tendrils. Shadow, too, had been shocked by the reveal of Sheik's true identity, and he couldn't help but pity them a little. He couldn't help but remember the times when the princess had stood up for him time and time again. "Hey Dethl, what are you going to do with her?" Shadow Link asked, trying to sound as casual as possible. He couldn't help but notice that Zelda's head was lolling backwards; was she asleep?

" _Sending her to a nightmare, of course_ ," Dethl replied.

"Oh. Not going to crucify her, huh?" Shadow Link just barely hid the relief in his voice. It helped that Dethl seemed too preoccupied to notice anything weird.

Dethl finished securing the princess, and then their eyes swiveled towards Shadow Link. " _Shadow, have you ever thought about how people do not fear death?_ "

Shadow Link frowned at the seemingly random question, figuring that it was one of the nightmare creature's many somewhat eccentric ideas. "I'm pretty sure plenty of people are afraid of death, Dethl."

" _They are not_ ," Dethl tutted. " _Some fear the unknown of what comes after dying. However, a vast majority fear the pain associated to death. There are several ways to encourage people to fear pain, Shadow. One_ ," Dethl lifted the unconscious princess towards him, " _is to show someone the suffering of another that they hold dear. Perhaps their princess. Did you see how effective crucifying the false princess was in creating fear?_ "

How could he forget that crucifixion in the middle of castle town? "Sure," Shadow shrugged. He couldn't help but notice that Dethl was, during this time, inching uncomfortably close to him. He'd always thought that the nightmare creature was a little more than creepy, but now that it existed beyond the dreamscape and into physical reality, the creepiness was more pronounced.

" _Two_ ," Dethl continued, and their pupil less eyes stared intensely at Shadow Link. Shadow was forced to stare back uncomfortably before it suddenly turned towards the Dark Mirror and tapped it two times. Before Shadow Link could stop them, the Dark Mirror flashed, and there was a small 'pop' as two people appeared out of thin air.

Shadow Link, whose hand had been outstretched to stop Dethl, lowered it slowly in horror. Standing in front of him with equal expressions of shock were two more identical copies of him. No. No, to call them copies were absurd. The two new Shadow Links were just as real as he was.

Before Shadow Link could wrap his head around the fact that there were more than one of him, Dethl's tendrils darted forward like a snake. The Shadow Link closest to him suddenly shrieked in pain when Dethl stabbed him violently through the eye, and then came back around to stab him again through the back. Dethl then casually tossed the skewered Shadow Link towards the first Shadow Link's feet, and he backed away in horror as he watched himself reaching out to him, not injured enough to mercifully go into unconsciousness.

Shadow Link drew his sword and pointed it at Dethl, and he could barely hear anything aside from the blood pounding in his ears.

" _Two_ ," Dethl repeated, their eyes watching intently, savoring every detail of Shadow Link's horrified expression, " _Make them feel pain. Slow pain. Do not hurt them too quickly, so that they remain conscious. So that their body does not shut down and numb the pain. Make them suffer and make sure they live, so that they continue to wonder what kind of pain they will have to endure next."_

Dethl raised a tendril, ready to strike the injured Shadow Link again, but a sword mercifully ended the tortured one's short life. The original Shadow's hands shook on the hilt of his sword, which he'd brought down on his copy's neck. Shadow staggered backwards, sick to his stomach by what he'd done, and he snarled at Dethl. "What the fuck are you doing, Dethl?" He didn't want his voice to tremble like it did.

" _Ah! You see how our first method is working on you, now? You wonder if the same fate will befall you, and that… THAT creates such beautiful fear. Perhaps you are now wondering which one of the remaining two Shadow Links will leave this room alive? Because you see, we do not want unnecessary death. Death only ends the nightmare prematurely."_

Just then, the second summoned Shadow Link dashed forward, sword drawn, in an effort to strike Dethl down. Dethl was faster, however, and the remaining Shadow had to turn away, unable to look at the mutilation. He could turn away, but he couldn't drown out the screams, mixed with the gurgles and horrific cracks that seemed to go on for eternity.

The black blob-like creature oozed towards the remaining Shadow Link, forcing him to look at it. " _Fear is the most basic of all emotions. It can be so intense that the feeling traumatizes its victim."_ Suddenly, Dethl brought up a bloodied skull up to Shadow Link's face. When Shadow slapped it away, startled, Dethl cackled gleefully for a while before it continued, " _However, why is it that one can often be traumatized in this world, but not in a nightmare? We can conjure the greatest nightmares in dreams, and yet our victims seem to forget them too quickly. They're dismissive of it as soon as they wake. Is the fear in this 'real' world even more intense, or perhaps our world was too forgettable?"_

"I've heard this all before, Dethl, you've rambled about it thousands of times and I'm getting tired of it," Shadow Link said, trying his best to regain his composure. He tried not to think about how the skull had been… fresh. "And why… why the fuck did you summon more of… of _me_?"

" _Hm?_ " Dethl blinked, and then tapped on the Dark Mirror again, summoning another Shadow Link. " _Why not? This is the new power granted to the both of us by the restored mirror. We are more than real now, Shadow. We are infinite."_

"Just... AUGH stop that!"

" _It was a good demonstration, no?"_

"The fuck it was! I'm leav-" Shadow Link froze. He slowly looked down at his chest only to see a pointed tendril sticking out of it, "-ing…?"

Dethl watched, the eyes emotionless and cold, as Shadow Link convulsed and dropped to the ground twitching. Then, it turned to face the newest Shadow as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. " _You're not going anywhere, minion."_

The remaining Shadow turned from the still-dying Shadow Link on the ground, to Dethl, and then back to the other Shadow again. He still had all of the same memories as the so-called "original" Shadow Link, but in terms of the time he'd spent in actual existence, it had been a minute at most. _This is so fucked up._ He glanced at Princess Zelda, still blissfully unconscious throughout this entire ordeal. _I fucked up._

Dethl had never been so frightening before, but then again, Dethl had never infiltrated his dreams before except that one time when Shadow had taken a stupid dare. Dethl was the same as Shadow, in that they were both Dark World creatures, and when the nightmare had first brought up the idea to restore the Dark Mirror, Shadow had instantly bought the idea. They'd work together until the mirror was restored, and then they'd go do whatever the fuck they wanted.

If Shadow had known that Dethl would be this nuts… he would've thought twice about this whole thing.

"I didn't restore the Dark Mirror just so I would have to be ordered around by some other guy," Shadow Link gave one last attempt to hold his ground.

Dethl, however, completely ignored him and instead picked up a small stick from the ground. They waved it in the air, and while staring at Shadow Link, asked wonderingly, " _Do you want to know how frightening a simple stick like this can be?"_

Maybe Vaati had had a good reason to keep the Mirror broken after all…

* * *

fleets: you know, I don't think I've ever written a truly scary villain before, and my hope is that Dethl will take that empty spot this time. Considering torture is their theme, expect stuff like that in future chapters.

Also I decided not to have Fuu/Vaati regain his memories just yet. I already used that idea in the Avilux series, so it would have been a little boring for me if I went the same route. He doesn't remember anything, but he did figure out what had happened to him and he's piiiissed.

the idea to include multiple Shadow Links is a small nod to the fact that you encounter hundreds of him in the FS/FSA games :)

And aaahhhh I would really like to say thank you so, so much for your comments and support! It means a lot and I'm always excited to read your responses ;w;

 **fanakatsuki:** Hmmm, she's still in trouble! D: things don't really look all that good for her, huh

 **Vesperupus:** Yeeep Dark Mirror! Maybe a little cliche'd but I love its concept. With so much going on in this chapter I couldn't quite get to Shadow's identity struggles this time, but yeah I do look forward to addressing that! :)

 **Ai Star:** Kind of, not really! He doesn't remember, still, but he did figure out what had happened. Not good either way lol. Vaati's off being antisocial now I bet :P

 **SubZeroChimera:** Maybe 2 shits and 2 fans.

 **AquilaMage:** Yup! It was the one that lets him turn into his final form! And not quite! He doesn't remember anything, but he knows what Hyrule did to him sooo he's pretty mad. And yikes the 'limitations' are going to make things worse actually. More on that coming up next... D:

 **Lunamew:** I HAD THE SAME THOUGHT like, a few days ago when I was writing about Shadow Link. His color scheme is pretty much Ravio? _?_ I kind of want to figure out a way to incorporate that somehow.  
I was trying to imagine Vaati's theme and Megalovania and I think it could actually work and be something epic (at least for the first bit). Dang, I really want to listen to that now.

 **Cattycheeno:** Yay I got approved :D I was reaaaally excited to get to this scene, finally. Things had been a little too peaceful before XD

 **Everfreesparkle:** I have two reasons for using male pronouns. The first is that I write in third person limited across multiple characters, in that it's in third person but I only reveal what a certain focal character knows about the scene (in contrast to third person omniscient, where the reader knows everything, not just what a certain character can know). Therefore, it would be extremely confusing if I kept switching from male to female pronouns and back again (I think this can only work if I write in third person limited, ONLY from Zelda/Sheik's point of view).

Second reason: I _strongly_ believe that your biological gender does _not_ necessarily have to match the gender you identify with. Therefore, someone can be biologically female and prefer male pronouns. I'm not going to elaborate on whether or not Sheik "grew a dong" (entirely possible because hey, magic right?), That's really not the heart of the issue. In _this_ story (I'm going to make no claims whatsoever about Sheik in OoT or Hyrule Warriors, just for this story here), Sheik is a male persona that is used by Zelda for a whole number of reasons, including but not exclusive to: protecting her identity from threats like Vaati, a new identity for herself that she can escape to when she doesn't feel like being 'Zelda the princess,' another way to express herself in situations where being 'Sheik' is more comfortable than being 'Zelda.' Because the persona itself is a male character, Sheik has a male pronoun preference.

 **Lexik:** Game over indeed!

 **Flufux:** Hmmm I'd say things are pretty bad. Awful, really hahaha. I'm glad I'm not the protagonist in any of my own stories.  
Right on! Before, Dethl could only really be seen with the Lens of Truth (or the occasional weird shadow movement that suggests they were around), but now they look kind of like Vaati in terms of blobbiness and blackness. I was actually really struggling to describe them haha (I can see it in my head but my words elude me). For most of the chapter I guess they're kind of like an amorphous black blob with any number of eyes and the occasional tentacle thing that's grabby and stabby.

I'm going to try my best to make Dethl a real nightmare villain. I didn't really write them like that in Rend, so it'll be a fun change :)


	18. Syncope

fleets: I can't even begin to describe how confused I was while writing this chapter, mostly because Fuu/Vaati is extremely confused as well as Shadow. If you can imagine having a never-ending argument with yourself, well, that was my state of being since uploading Chapter 17. I submitted this in a bit of a rush to protect my sanity, heh.

* * *

 **Chapter 18: Syncope**

Three days had passed since Fuu had left his friend at the mercy of Dethl. Well, that thought wasn't quite true, was it? One, his name wasn't Fuu. Two, Sheik wasn't his friend. Not anymore.

Fuu, or, Vaati now, closed the book he'd been reading and tossed it aside. It bounced against the rocks around the cave that he'd found shelter in. It landed in a pile of other, similarly tossed aside books.

'Gufuu.' That name sounded so stupid now. He'd thought nothing of it at first, since that had been one of the few things he'd been able to "remember" when he'd woken at the Gerudo camp, but now it only filled him with disgust. The name was only a reminder of how he'd been tricked into believing a false identity, of how his very identity had been stripped from him.

But if he wasn't Fuu, then was he really Vaati?

He'd been surprised by the truth, but when Dethl began to explain what had happened, he'd been more surprised by the fact that he'd almost expected it. Him, Vaati, the Goddess-damned Sorcerer of Winds. He couldn't believe it, and yet he could believe it. Everything that had seemed strange or improbable - like how Shadow Link had mistaken him for Vaati, how he could somehow waltz right through dungeons that only Vaati could safely navigate, that he knew magic that had been the wind mage's signature spells, how Sheik and Impa always seemed to be holding something back from him – all of that made sense if the truth was that he was Vaati.

He'd rolled the name over in his head, trying it out, wondering what he'd thought of it. To be honest, he'd never had a strong opinion regarding the sorcerer, except maybe some vague idea of 'generally negative.' He'd only been influenced by the very little he'd heard from other people, and the idea that Vaati had been the one who'd muddled his memories, the latter of which he'd discovered to be untrue. Because of that, it didn't bother him to call himself Vaati more than it did to call himself Fuu. Vaati… that was him. That was what had been stolen from him, and Fuu was simply the product of a grave injustice.

And yet, as satisfied as he was for knowing that he'd been Vaati all along, the character, _his_ character, eluded him. He couldn't even begin to imagine what it had been like, to stand at the top, ruling over armies of monsters and with the power to topple Hyrule with a wave of his hand. Most importantly, he couldn't even remember why he'd been trying to conquer Hyrule in the first place. The most obvious reason, 'because I can,' never seemed emptier.

He picked up the next book sitting by him in a neater pile than the 'toss pile' a few feet away. He thumbed through it, trying to find any mention of Vaati, hoping for an unbiased account of the sorcerer that he hadn't been able to encounter so far. Most of the text only discussed how evil Vaati was in the most melodramatic and outrageous way possible, in a way that stretched the imagination. No one spoke of his motives, of what he'd wanted. He didn't want to believe that he'd tried to conquer Hyrule just for the sake of it; there had to be more to the story than that…

Had he really been so arrogant, to decide he was going to take over Hyrule just because it was there, and just because he could? There was no depth to an explanation like that, and now, with his memories gone, he couldn't see the point of it.

The all-consuming rage that had taken over him at the Desert Temple had long since disappeared, but that wasn't to say that the anger had gone. It was more like the slow burn of coals, still painfully hot but no longer explosive. The only thing that he could make sense of anything in this messed up situation was his anger, and he'd held on to it for the last three days. The anger drove him to wander, away from Hyrule, to somewhere far away, Holodrum perhaps. He wasn't sure. The anger led him on a search for anything regarding Vaati to distract him away from the hundreds of confusing questions and emotions that nearly overwhelmed him to paralysis.

The first night after he'd walked away from the Desert Temple, leaving Zelda to her fate, had been the worst. He couldn't remember where he had walked, or how far he'd gone before he'd finally found a place to lie down and rest. He hadn't been able to sleep, as he fluctuated between blinding rage at Sheik's betrayal, to confusion about what this all meant, and to brief flashes of guilt knowing that he'd most likely condemned Sheik to death at the hands of Dethl. He'd thought of the crucifixion of the fake Princess Zelda, knowing that perhaps a similar fate awaited the real one. A small voice of conscience whispered that no one deserved a fate like that, but then a louder, angrier voice always stopped him. _He_ hadn't deserved what they had done to him, and how dare they for implying that they had done him a service. A 'second chance,' they'd called it.

Let Sheik, Zelda, whoever they were, suffer what comes.

He'd turned his focus to learn more about himself, if only to drown out the guilt and the confusion. His anger became determination, and he'd been spending the last three days poring over books and pamphlets he'd collected from libraries and other sources, that he'd thrown together in an intimidating pile in a cave he'd found. The distraction took his mind off of the disorganized confusion in his head, but from time to time he'd be overwhelmed again by the knowledge that his friend hadn't been who he'd thought he was, and that he'd doomed Sheik by leaving him with Shadow Link and Dethl.

He turned the pages of the book in his hands, scowling. The wind outside the cave howled something fierce as it echoed his sentiment.

 _I don't care about Sheik anymore,_ he argued with the afterthought of guilt.

No. Oh, no, it wasn't even Sheik, was it? Sheik hadn't even been the person he'd thought he was all along. Vaati's eye twitched as he thought about how Princess Zelda had pulled the wool over his eyes, and then had gone so far as to pretend that she trusted him. _'I choose to trust you,'_ he thought mockingly, clenching his fists, _give me a break…_

Looking back, he and Sheik – or, whoever 'Sheik' was – had never really been friends, huh? The last few weeks together, it had all been but an illusion of comradery, a façade to make sure that Vaati played nice. They were afraid of him. They'd always been afraid of him, because they knew the truth about who he was.

Vaati stopped flipping the pages of his book, recognizing that he'd been turning page after page without really reading the text. He sighed, the book dropping between his fingers and landing with a soft thud between his feet as he rested his forehead against his hands. He nudged the book away with his foot towards the growing pile of books and pamphlets he'd given up on. The libraries of the region could only do so much to distract him from his thoughts.

"I don't care about any of them," he hissed between his fingers, still holding his head miserably. "What they're doing isn't my problem anymore."

 _You don't really think that though, do you? You know what's going to happen to her._

Again that nagging conscience. That irritating voice in his head that wouldn't leave him alone.

"It's not my problem," he repeated, louder now to the empty cave. "Whatever I feel, that's just something they brainwashed me into thinking. Those thoughts, they're not mine."

It was then that he noticed that, in his distraction, he'd forgotten about a little sentry eye that he'd sent out on patrol earlier. It had returned from its task and was hovering in front of him awkwardly, like it wasn't sure if this was a good time to come back to its master. The two of them stared at each other for a few minutes until Vaati threw his hands up in the air and stood up, rounding on the now frightened creature.

"Every. Single. One of them," Vaati jabbed at the floating eye with a pointed finger at each emphasis, "Every single one of them just saw me as a useful tool who didn't know any better. Maybe I'll go destroy Hyrule because I'm pissed off at everything," he growled.

For a moment, his hand was poised as though to strike the sentry down, to direct all of his confusion and anger at it, but he didn't. He watched the little bat-winged eye look up at him in fear, but with a flicker of resignation. Eventually, Vaati shook his head and walked towards the entrance of the cave.

"I just… I can't even bother though, you know?" he muttered, talking to the sentry that had followed him cautiously. "Nothing matters anymore."

He didn't really expect the sentry to reply to him in any sort of way. After all, the sentry was just like an extra arm or a leg: it wasn't supposed to have any cognitive capabilities beyond completing task A and task B. Therefore, he was caught off guard when the sentry's eye suddenly glowed red, granting him a vision of what it saw before it.

He saw a young man, his nose wrinkled into an almost permanent scowl and his lips twitching from time to time as though he wanted to say something, but didn't know what to say. The young man wasn't confident, his red eyes wavering like they were going to fall out of his head any minute, and it almost looked like he was feeling sorry for himself from the way his shoulders sagged.

Vaati raised his fist angrily at the sentry eye. "You trying to say something?" he snapped, offended by the pitiful vision of himself that the sentry had projected. However, he stopped, recognizing that the sentry had simply shown him how he appeared now. Lowering his fist, he shook his head again, and smiled at himself. "You're right," he said softly, beckoning the little eye closer. The eye fluttered over, and for a split second, it puffed up smugly. Vaati wasn't angry at it, though. It knew him better than he'd given it credit for, which had been a mistake on his part since the sentry was practically an extension of himself. "Feeling sorry for myself… that's not me, either, is it? I'm better than that."

Vaati pat the eye on its head, and then started walking out of the cave. His pace quickened until he was sprinting, until he was eventually flying through the air, supported by powerful winds. He stopped in the middle of an empty field, and the sky was overcast with a heavy blanket of gray. He slowly hovered towards the ground until his toes were just barely touching the tall grass.

"I was afraid to use wind magic. I didn't want to use it when I thought that it wasn't really my own, so I held myself back," he said when the sentry eye caught up to him. It hovered next to his ear, waiting expectantly. Vaati then raised a hand out in front of him, and the wind stirred, changing direction. "But that's changed now."

It started out with a hush. The rustling of the grass as the winds changed, moving in a wide circle around the young man, his eyes closed and his expression peaceful, almost like he was asleep. The wind picked up gradually until it became increasingly powerful. Small pebbles began to swirl in the air, which eventually became large rocks, and then to boulders. The light whistle of wind turned into a dragon's roar, ripping out grass and shrubs by their roots and shredding them to pieces in the air. Water from a nearby pond was carried up as well, so that the air shimmered with droplets.

The clouds above darkened as the roaring tornado carried moisture above, and lightning crackled in fantastic displays as the storm became more powerful.

 _It's not like me to feel sorry for myself,_ Vaati thought over the deafening scream of the storm he'd summoned, _I'm stronger than that._

He reveled in the untamed howl of the wind, the power that rushed between his fingertips. He embraced the rush of blood pounding against his ears and felt the brush of the wind's freedom against his skin. And then, finally, the heavy cloud of guilt, anger, and confusion that had muddled his mind for the last three days lifted away. Clarity.

His eyes snapped open and he clenched his outstretched hand, curling it into a fist as though he were snapping someone's neck. The wind stopped abruptly, and there was a resounding crash as all of the flying objects it had picked up came falling down violently. Some straggling lightning flashed through the dust cloud that emerged from the aftermath of the destruction, but once again, all was quiet.

For three days, he'd been searching for answers through written text, hoping that they would tell him who he was. However, his identity wasn't for other people to tell. He had to figure that out on his own, with maybe a little bit of help from those who'd taken it away from him.

And the answers lay where his memories began. Most of his memories, the planted ones about him being a Sheikah and his name 'Gufuu,' were vague and fuzzy up until the point when he'd woken up at the Gerudo Camp a few weeks ago. He'd supposedly been taken there after the final battle against Vaati, when the sorcerer had 'done something to his head.' Of course, it was now all too obvious that the Hylians, and most likely the Gerudos as well, had messed with his memories at the desert encampment. In fact, the Gerudos had two powerful magic users of their own who could have easily crafted a spell to remove and replace his memories, and he recalled the Twinrova sisters hovering eagerly near Sheik just before they'd left camp. Even more incriminating, he remembered what Darunia had spoken, and he now understood why the Goron chief had been so angry. _No amount of help will let me forgive what you and those desert witches agreed to do,_ he'd said. Yes, the desert witches. They knew something. They had to.

 _I have to go back to where it all started,_ Vaati's eyes narrowed, no longer wavering and lost, but steeled with determination. _The Gerudo Witches._

He took a deep breath, beginning to feel a real sense of direction since he'd left the Desert Temple. He was about to leave, when, without warning, the ground shook with the impact of something heavy falling from the sky.

He whirled around, and what he saw… well, he wasn't sure what to make of it. Vaati frowned, and sent the sentry eye hovering by his shoulder to take a closer look at the object.

It was some kind of monster, horribly disfigured and on the brink of death. It wasn't just any monster, either; it was one of the powerful titanic boss monsters judging from how it was almost as large as a small house. It wasn't quite dead yet, apparent from the fact that it hadn't disintegrated into dusty purple smoke, but to say it was alive was misleading. The creature lurched, trying to get up on its feet after having fallen out of the sky, and as it did so it oozed blood from multiple lacerations.

 _Gleeok?_ Vaati thought he could recognize the two headed dragon he'd seen mentioned in one of the books he'd borrowed from the library. He could see the dragon's scales between the cuts, and there were two heads… wait.

Vaati ran towards the creature, a chill running down his spine when a terrible thought occurred to him. This thing… it wasn't Gleeok. Maybe it had been, once, but this…

" _Ksssktt… kill us…"_

Vaati slowed down as he circled around towards the head of the monster. Or, at least, one of its heads. The creature twisted one of its necks towards him, but instead of the fearsome head of a dragon, there was a clump of ice growing out of the place where a head should have been. There was a large, bloodshot eye in the center of the ice. _Frostare,_ Vaati thought, recognizing the eye to be from the powerful ice demon.

Vaati's perturbed gaze trailed down along its neck, which he'd noticed was wrapped by thick vines that went towards 'Gleeok's' left foot. Instead of the appropriate appendage, there was an enormous toothed flower. _Manhandla._

The rest of the dragon's body was crudely stitched and spiked together with thick black poles; an amalgamation of several different monsters. The second head of Gleeok, the one that was still intact and not fused together with Frostare, pleaded with another rattled voice. " _Kill us. Pain."_

Vaati took a step back as the amalgamation twitched and staggered helplessly on the ground. "What happened to you?" he asked, his voice quiet from shock.

" _The Nighmare,"_ another voice, near the creature's back. Vaati then saw a large fin waving behind one of the dragon's wings. The armored fish, Gyorg. " _Kill us please…"_ it gurgled.

Vaati didn't need to be asked again. He took a deep breath, and then transformed into his Wrath form. The amalgamation stopped struggling when they saw the monstrous black eye floating above it. They murmured Vaati's name as the sorcerer disintegrated it with a devastating energy beam. All that was left of the creature in the aftermath was a charred path of destruction where the beam had passed.

Vaati remained still for a few minutes, trying to analyze what he'd just encountered. Dethl had done this? To their own allies? _What are you playing at, Dethl?_

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Acid. His throat hurt with acid.

Shadow Link heaved, gagging on an empty stomach as he threw up, reliving in his memories what he'd been made to do a few hours ago. He was curled over the side of the Palace of Winds, watching the clouds roll by below them. He continued to stare at the strangely idyllic scene, a stark contrast to the nightmare that was spreading all around him.

 _Fuck this. Fuck this._

He turned around and then staggered against one of the palace's magnificent white pillars, and then slowly crumpled onto the ground when his legs gave out. He stared at his shaking hands, trying to forget what he had just done.

Sticks. Small, thin sticks. Large, thick sticks. Poles. Poles that skewered. Poles that… that held things together. Slice two things apart and skewer them back together with poles. With sticks.

Shadow wrenched his eyes off of his hands. He couldn't even be sure if he'd been the one who'd helped create that abomination. For all he knew, he could have been a copy of the Shadow Link who'd actually completed the operation, and the memories weren't really his. He'd even lost track of how long he'd actually existed since he'd been summoned by the Dark Mirror into this world.

In fact, he wasn't even sure how many Shadow Links were running around at this point. Maybe there were some that were freely wandering around the Hyrule wasteland, but to his knowledge, most of them remained at the Palace of Winds. The Dark Mirror gave him and Dethl power, but it was also the key to stopping them. Shadow hadn't lied to Sheik and Vaati about that. If all of his copies had the same idea, they would remain close to the Mirror, waiting for a chance to put an end to them. Dethl, too, seemed to prefer Shadow Link to remain at the Palace of Winds, if only so that they had a literally endless supply of victims if they became bored with their various projects in the land below.

Thankfully, the mirror only seemed to copy versions of himself that were still alive, and because the ones that had been horribly maimed and mutilated often died at the hands of another Shadow Link as an act of mercy, there weren't any Shadow Links who remembered Dethl's torture.

At least, none that he was aware of. He was sorry for any clones who came into this world convinced that they'd been in the middle of dying because the Mirror had spawned them at a bad time, and had chosen the wrong Shadow Link to copy.

Something wet dripped along his fingers. Blood.

Shadow Link looked down at his tunic. He was covered in blood. _So that means… I really did do that,_ he thought, _Gleeok and the others, rest in peace you fuckers._

He didn't bother wiping the blood from his hands and he leaned back tiredly against the pillar. He hoped that, if another Shadow Link were to spawn, they would be spared his memories and receive ones from a different Shadow who hadn't had to do something so sickening. _I had no choice though,_ he reminded himself. He'd seen the pile of disfigured, dead Shadow Links when he'd appeared from the mirror, and he'd also seen the unfortunate fate of the Shadow Link he'd ended up replacing. He also remembered witnessing the death of each of the Shadow Links that were dead in the pile.

Dethl would have continued to create a bigger pile of dead Shadow Links until the job had been completed, and in turn he would have had to endure more memories of seeing himself die. He'd been the one to end the… routine.

What Dethl was doing was insane. They said they were experimenting, that they wanted to know how to bring nightmares into reality. And because it was an experiment, they went about the entire process methodologically. The first experiment had been with...

Shadow Link clutched his head, trying to forget what had happened at the Desert Temple.

Dethl moved on to villagers, after that. They spent two days and two nights going around Hyrule, creating various 'mood manipulations' by painting horrible landscapes with bodies, not all of which were completely dead. Some of the villages made what had been done to Hyrule look like a cheerful remodeling. In fact, Dethl learned and improved upon each destructive visit so that the most recent 'redecorations' were the most gruesome.

The Nightmare couldn't read minds any longer, and could no longer alter the physical laws of the world in the same way they could in the nightmare realm. Shadow had expected Dethl to be less terrifying because of it, but he'd been wrong. So very wrong. In fact, their new limitation pushed them to be more and more creative.

An artist learns new skills when they are forced to create under limitations, and Dethl was no different.

And now Dethl had moved on to terrorizing monsters. Monsters, they claimed, had stunted emotions compared to Light World creatures like Hylians. However, they could still feel fear, even if it wasn't as intense as Hylians. Could they be brought into the same kind of nightmares, then, given the right kind of encouragement?

Shadow shuddered, thinking about the abominable amalgamation of several of the region's most powerful monsters. He could still hear Gleeok's rattled shrieks as he'd helped Dethl replace one of its heads with Frostare's eye. While both creatures were still conscious. He remembered the sickened expression on the other monsters' faces as they waited for their turn to be chopped up and put back together, while Dethl excitedly made observations about the different kinds of fear.

This… this wasn't what he'd wanted. He could care less about the Light World residents, but menacing fellow monsters like that was where he drew the line. It had gone past the point where he could just ignore what was going on. While Master Vaati had murdered some monsters, and many had feared him, the sorcerer had never done this kind of indiscriminate torturing that Dethl was doing. Master Vaati at least had a reason for doing what he did (the majority being disciplinary action), while with Dethl, one was tortured simply on a whim. Because it was two o'clock and it was cloudy. Because Gleeok's name had six letters in it and so they should be 'improved' with three other monsters.

"Hey."

Shadow Link looked up. It was another copy of him, although at this point it was impossible to tell if they were a copy of him, or if he was a copy of them.

"Dethl's left the palace," the other Shadow informed him. "I need your help."

The bloodied Shadow's expression hardened, and then he took the other's hand to stand up. He already knew what the other one wanted; they were the same person, after all. "The princess?" he asked. When the other Shadow nodded in confirmation, he began to walk quickly in the direction where Dethl had imprisoned Zelda.

He wasn't entirely sure why Dethl hadn't killed her yet, and instead kept her in an eternal sleep. Maybe it had something to do with what they kept referring to as 'the final nightmare.' What they were doing now, with the villages and the monsters, was only a series of trial runs before they unleashed a perfected nightmarish scenario. They also seemed to reference Master Vaati's near-obsession with the Princess of Hyrule, and had apparently wanted to figure out why the princess was so important.

At any rate, he had to get her out of here, not only from the Palace of Winds but from the nightmare that Dethl had trapped her in. He had no idea what he was going to do after he woke her up, but he couldn't just sit here and simply wait for Dethl to finish perfecting their nightmare world.

He'll be the first to admit that he'd messed up when he'd allowed Dethl to reach this world with the help of the Dark Mirror. All he'd wanted was to be in a world where he didn't have to be just a shadow anymore, and when he'd spoken to Dethl, he'd thought they'd wanted the same thing he did. He'd foolishly sympathized when they lit up excitedly as they discussed all of the new possibilities of truly living in the Light World. He'd vehemently agreed when they brought up the unjustness of Master Vaati preventing them from completing the Dark Mirror.

The bloodied Shadow reached the chamber where Princess Zelda was being kept. The other one remained at the door to keep a lookout, while he went inside. The princess was asleep on one of the palace beds. She appeared beautifully peaceful, although in a manner not unlike a corpse dressed and prepared for a funeral. Her gloved hands were crossed over her chest, and if she'd been holding a bouquet of flowers, she really would have looked like a body in a casket.

"All this time I was going after the wrong thing," he said with a sad smile, and brushed a strand of her hair away from her cheek. "You never treated me like just a shadow, did you Sheik?" He took her hand in his, and then lay down on the floor next to her bed. He held her hand tightly as he closed his eyes to sleep. "I'll see you real soon in your dreams. And when I do, we'll get out of this together."

* * *

fleets: Sooo yeah it was really tricky trying to figure out what Vaati's feeling right now, probably because he doesn't really know, either. It's also getting difficult for me to keep track of all the Shadow Links haha. Meh, it's late again so I don't really know what else to say right now. Thank you for reading, and for your wonderful comments! :)

 **Lunamew:** Dethl is probably my most messed up villain to date. Most of the ones I've written so far are at least somewhat redeemable, but not this time, nope. Shadow probably should've just asked straight up why Vaati wanted the mirror to stay broken... though maybe Vaati never gave him a straight answer :s  
I actually have an idea I really like regarding Ravio but... well you'll see ;)

 **fanakatsuki:** Thank you! I'm not sure if 'enjoy' is a good way to describe my experience writing Dethl since they're so messed up, but it's been a new and interesting experience :)

 **Vesperupus:** Dethl is definitely a new kind of villain I haven't really tried my hand at writing before. It's been interesting so far haha (although sometimes I worry for my sanity when I have to think of disturbing scenes for them ahaha)  
Great point about the 'updated' memory thing. Not even Shadow himself really knows what's up with that, and I'm not sure it'll really be explained in this story. I'd say the mirror updates with a random Shadow Link who isn't dead or dying, perhaps with the Shadow Link closest to the mirror.  
As for Ravio, I actually have an idea now that I really like! Can't say much more than that though ;)

Vaati's/Fuu's reaction these last two chapters gave me absolute crapppp. I had to go over it several times, trying to pretend being in their shoes, and... yeah that happened.

I think I should've thrown in an extra sentence or two about Zelda's reaction the last chapter. Ah well... I'll fix it eventually. You're right, the entire situation was overwhelming for everyone since, well, pretty much everything happened all at once D:

 **AquilaMage:** Yup! Having Vaati remember everything at that moment in the last chapter would have been much too similar to what I did in my other stories. Shadow Link is... I mean yeah it's my fault I'm putting him in all of these awful situations, but I feel especially bad for him since I don't think I've ever written such a craptacular scenario for any of my characters before. Whoops...

 **SubZeroChimera:** And the creepering continues...

 **SerpentTailedAngel:** Ahhh no don't worry! I also did pump out chapters really quickly, please don't worry, you've been an amazing reader! (thank you ahhhh)  
Ohhh I think I know what post you're talking about. That was _partly_ the inspiration, but the true culprit is actually the Star Wars: The Force Awakens hype that happened right around the time I first started thinking about this plot ;)

The Star Wars hype got me thinking about one of my favorite games of all time: Knights of the Old Republic. If anyone is familiar with that game, then they'll see that the plot for this story + characters were heavily inspired by the KotOR plot (it involves an amnesiac 'villain' - but the way they handled it upset me, because no one really brought up the fact that messing with someone's identity is a morally crappy thing to do. The plot for this story is an indirect response to that).

And boy Shadow is paying for it. Hard.

 **Cattycheeno:** Shadow also wonders how he's going to get out of this mess. RIP.

 **RayHollows:** Hi there! Thank you so much for the review, and welcome! :D I know I said I wasn't sure I'd complete this, but I'm enjoying writing this so I probably will :) (I already know the ending to this story, and I really want to get there!)  
Whether or not Vaati will go back to evil, hmm, it might not be a good thing if he does go to Twinrova and gets his memories back, yeah?  
Urk I have sooo much I want to say in response to your other comments but ahhhh I can't. I guess I can only respond with more chapters haha XD Thanks again!

 **Lord Siravant:** Dethl's a natural... yipes.  
I really wasn't sure for the longest time whether the Dethl in this story would be an "it" or a "they." In Rend, 'it' seemed to work better, but in this story they're more like a collective hive mind kind of thing, so the plural seemed to make more sense. I didn't consider the angle that using 'they' might humanize them more (although, on some level I can't help but humanize villains in some way - Dethl in Demonbound is kind of like an apathetic scientist who wants to optimize nightmares in real life). I have a lot of difficulty writing just straight up evil characters with no motive other than insanity (which is really frustrating sometimes because I want to be able to write all types of different villains haha)

I've never seen Four Swords Misadventures, though I've heard it's hilarious! The stick idea came up partly because of this chapter, and also trying to think of something that might be found at the Desert Temple, that can also be used in a frightening way. Let imaginations run wild with what Dethl actually did to Shadow then.


	19. A Hundred Lives for Yours

fleets: Eyyy another Sunday update! It's almost like I'm on an actual schedule! :P  
This chapter kind of upset me while I was writing it. idk how i feel about that...

btw please let me know if any of the chapters are too disturbing/bloody/etc. and i'll try my best to tone it down (how am i doing with it? too much? too little? just right? I'd like to keep this story to a T rating teen friendly)

* * *

 **Chapter 19: A Hundred Lives for Yours**

It wasn't the first time that Shadow Link had explored a dreamscape, as in, he'd had dreams of his own before. He'd also had his dreams visited by outsiders, namely Dethl, but that had been a one-time thing when he'd taken the Nightmare up on a silly dare.

However, this was the first time he'd visited someone _else's_ dreamscape. It was a much more disorienting experience. Because he knew that the dream wasn't real, the dreamscape played strange tricks on him, like flickering in and out of focus when he least expected it. He would sometimes catch impossible objects in the corner of his eye, like an alternate version of himself running across the street together with Sheik and Vaati, but as soon as he tried to look at them properly they vanished without a trace.

He hadn't been sure that simply falling asleep near Zelda would let them have a shared dream, but he'd heard of it happening before from one of Dethl's ramblings. Apparently Dethl had once created a nightmare between some kind of divine whale and an adventurer lost at sea… the nightmare had sounded rather bitter about that story when they'd talked about the strange tale.

Shadow Link looked around, trying to figure out just what kind of dream he was in. He wasn't surprised to see that he was in the middle of Hyrule Castle Town, just as he'd left it a few days ago; this was Princess Zelda's nightmare after all. The sky was grey, but it wasn't because there were clouds out: it was simply grey without any cloud or sun. When he craned his neck towards the deeper part of town, the scenery blurred. Houses farther down the road became unfocused, no matter how hard he squinted.

 _I need to find Zelda,_ he thought, and then turned to face the other way back towards the main castle.

Shadow decided to take his chances by approaching the castle. As soon as he took a step towards it, something snapped under his foot. He jumped back, startled, and the color ran out of his cheeks when he saw that he'd stepped on a small stick.

 _Do you want to know how frightening a simple stick like this can be?_

He kicked the stick aside angrily, and continued onwards through the eerily empty streets towards the castle. As he approached the castle, his peripheral vision caught glimpses of things following him. It was impossible to tell what they were, and he could only guess that they were humanoid; any time he stopped and tried to get a look, he could only see a brief shadow darting away, or hear the patter of light footsteps running off to avoid his view before everything became stifled with silence. They only seemed to make themselves known when he was moving. It was an unnerving effect.

"It's just an illusion," Shadow declared, waving a hand around his surroundings. Then, he began to quicken his pace towards the castle gates. "Leave!"

Hushed whispers murmured in response, growing louder as he approached the castle. And as the voices grew louder, the flickering movement at the edge of his vision pressed closer and closer. At first he couldn't quite catch the reedy hiss, but eventually he was able to recognize a few words.

" _Liar."_

" _Betrayed me."_

" _It's all your fault."_

" _Alone."_

"Shut up!" Shadow Link shouted, and he threw open the doors to Hyrule castle. He slammed the doors shut behind him, just in time to stop a severely burned, clawed hand from grabbing him. He skidded backwards, alarmed by the unexpected hand that he'd narrowly escaped. Before he could catch his breath, a different, familiar voice roared in his ears.

"I had no choice!"

Shadow Link whirled around to see Sheik, no, Zelda, facing him, sword drawn and fear etched into her face. She was wearing her mauve royal princess dress, but had half of her face covered like Sheik did. She was splattered in blood, though it was difficult to tell if it was hers or from an unfortunate victim. Shadow Link watched as she flinched when the whispered voices returned to bombard them with their accusations.

" _Hyrule is dead because of you."_

" _Agnes."_

" _I want to watch you suffer for what you did to me."_

The princess's sword trembled, on the verge of a breakdown. "Please, no more…" Zelda whimpered, and it was then that Shadow realized that the voices hadn't been speaking to him, but to the princess. He was overcome with surprise at the sight – the guilt-ridden, defeated princess was such a stark contrast to the cool, stoic Sheikah warrior who he'd come to know over the past several days. He understood, then, the emptiness of the castle and the endless silent grey: Loneliness. Perhaps they'd had more in common than he'd given her credit. He picked himself up from the hard marble floor to approach her.

 _Sching!_

"Whoa!" Shadow Link darted backwards, his neck just missing the blade of the dagger that had flown straight towards his head. He skidded to a stop, and he drew his sword just in time to deflect another flurry of daggers thrown towards him with an intention to kill. "Hey, stop that!" he cried. Zelda was no longer cowering from the disembodied voices, and was now glaring at him with killing intent. However, the burning gaze was borne out of fear, and she looked more like a cornered beast than a hunter.

"You," she hissed, though her voice wavered slightly, "You're not real. You've only come back to torment me, traitor." She was so imposing and so unlike the normally warm, compassionate princess of Hyrule that for a moment Shadow Link wasn't sure if Sheik was Zelda in disguise or in truth, the other way around.

"I… what?" Shadow Link faltered, sidestepping in a wide circle around Zelda to avoid the reach of her sword. He reluctantly brought his left hand to the hilt of his sword, in case he was forced into a fight. "Zelda! I'm here to save you!"

Zelda's response wasn't what Shadow had hoped for. Rather than listening to him, the corner of her eyes wrinkled with a snarl. It was the wild, desperate look of someone who'd seen death and survived it. Without warning, she vanished with a flash of magic, and Shadow Link barely had time to react when he sensed a presence behind him. He whirled around, swinging his sword up in front of him to block an incoming blow. It wasn't fast enough to match Zelda's expert speed, and her blade slid along his to hit the side of his rib. Any slower, and it would have hit his heart.

Zelda clearly wasn't wasting time – she was fighting to kill. "You won't trick me again!" she declared as she readjusted the grip on her sword.

"I don't want to fight you!" Shadow gnashed his teeth in frustration. He held out his sword to shield himself with one hand, while the other pressed against the cut he'd suffered from the previous attack. Thankfully, it didn't seem very deep, but it stung like Gohma venom. He edged a few steps away from the princess who continued to stalk him, waiting for an opening. He'd recalled briefly fighting the princess before, when they'd met by accident at a crossroads in Hyrule field. She'd been a fierce fighter, then, but hadn't been driven to such desperation like a cornered animal like she was now. This was feral. The nightmare had taken a toll on her. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I know it's too late to apologize, but let me help you out of this place," Shadow tried reasoning with her again, a bead of sweat rolling down his nose. Even with her heavy, layered dress, the princess was strong, and she hadn't even used any of her famed magic yet. Shadow Link knew when he was outmatched.

The princess said nothing, only observing him with a cool gaze full of suspicion. Thinking that he may have reached the princess somehow, Shadow Link lowered his sword slightly by a few centimeters. The movement was enough to catch Zelda's attention, and her eyes snapped away from Shadow Link's face to his sword. In an explosive instant, Zelda dashed forward, aiming to strike at his neck once again.

Shadow Link had been somewhat prepared this time, and he ducked into the shadows as the sword passed over him. Zelda's reaction-time surprised him, however, because as soon as she noticed that he'd dodged her attack, she threw a flash bang on the ground where Shadow had hidden. The light dispersed all of the shadows in the room, forcing the Link lookalike to materialize once again while wincing from the brightness.

"Even if it's just you, I wanted to save you Sheik."

His shoulders slammed against a pillar, and he was pinned in place by an arm digging along his collarbone and the blade of a sword pressed against his neck.

Importantly, he was miraculously still alive.

For a moment, Shadow Link wondered why Zelda hadn't killed him immediately like she'd been trying to earlier, and from the way crow's feet appeared along her forehead, he could tell that she was wondering the same.

"Heh, you really are strong," Shadow Link chuckled softly, flashing a crooked smile. He watched as Zelda's blade dug closer into his neck, and he knew from the way she narrowed her cool blue eyes that this was it. This was the end. She was going to kill him, like she'd meant to when they'd first met. Perhaps in retrospect that would have been for the best, so that he wouldn't have made the mistake of bringing Dethl into the Light World. "I'll come back and save you, Sheik," he said sadly, waiting for her to end him, "even if it takes me a hundred of my lives in exchange for yours."

He felt the cold steel dig into his neck, and it shifted slightly when Zelda's hands trembled from gripping the hilt of the sword so tightly that her knuckles had whitened. He waited patiently as she continued to glare at him in both fear and anger.

However, she never drew the sword across his neck. After a while, her glare dissipated into surprise, and although she continued to keep the sword pressed against his neck, her clawed hands relaxed their grip.

Her next words brought him no end of relief. "Shadow Link… you're real?" Zelda asked in a hoarse whisper. When he nodded, Zelda took a staggered step back, and her sword fell to her side. Now her gaze no longer held anger, and all that remained was the fear. "But how? You shouldn't be here…"

Shadow Link rubbed his neck, a faint spider line of red appearing where the blade had been pressed against it. It stung a little, but he was grateful that he'd finally managed to reach Zelda somehow. Still, he kept his distance from the princess, as the other's shoulders were still somewhat tense, and her eyes still had that look of a desert wolf. "You know, I'm impressed that you figured out that this was a nightmare. Most people under Dethl's spell never realize that they're trapped in a dream. Must be that Triforce you carry, huh?" He tried to smile reassuringly, while Zelda's expression dimmed when she retreated back into her own thoughts. He reached out with a hand, but stopped when he saw Zelda's shoulders tense. Instead, he sheathed his own sword in an attempt to demonstrate that he wasn't a threat. Really, it was silly of her to even treat him like a threat when he'd been so outmatched by her. "We're sharing dreams now," he explained, and then laughed in an attempt to lighten the mood, "It's too bad; it could have been poetic if they weren't the nightmarish kind."

Shadow Link's attempt to reassure Zelda seemed to have some effect, and the princess's panicked expression of fear was eventually replaced by an expression he'd seen Sheik wear often: analytical and shrewd. "What are you planning?" she asked sharply, though not unkindly.

"Look, I know you have good reason to hate me after what I've done, but I realize now that I made an awful mistake. I'm getting you out of here." At this, Shadow sighed, and his gaze wandered back towards the castle doors where he'd come from. It didn't go unnoticed by Zelda that something had changed in the way Shadow held himself. It was a subtle difference, like how he couldn't seem to maintain even a fake, sarcastic smile for long, or how the taunting, mischievous glimmer no longer lit up his face.

He, too, looked like someone who'd seen things no one ever should. "Shadow, what's happened to you?" the princess asked.

The shadow's breath caught. "I… don't want to talk about it," he said quietly. "Just… try not to be so surprised when you see other Shadow Links running around when I get you out of this nightmare, yeah?"

Zelda didn't press any further, and simply nodded once in response. Shadow Link was thankful for the gesture. Besides, neither of them had to explain what they had been through since they'd last met. They'd seen enough nightmares of their own to know that explaining what it had been like wouldn't help either of them.

"Follow me." Shadow Link tilted his chin towards the stairs that led to the upper floor of the castle. Zelda frowned behind the cloth that hid her face, curious about what idea Shadow had in mind to leave the nightmare. She'd tried to find a way to escape ever since she'd ended up in this nightmare world, but she hadn't succeeded so far. The floors on the upper section of the castle didn't lead to anywhere important.

Shadow Link stopped halfway up the stairs when he noticed Zelda was watching him quizzically. He knew what her unspoken question was asking. "So uh… I actually don't really know how to escape nightmares," he admitted. "At least, not for certain."

"But you have an idea," the princess supplied.

"Yeah, but… I think it'll be better for me to explain once we get to where we need to go."

Again, Zelda didn't press any further, but she couldn't help but have a nagging feeling that this nightmare was about to get worse before it got any better, especially since Shadow Link hadn't been able to look at her when he'd spoken.

"Down the hall here, this leads to one of the castle towers, right?" Shadow pointed down the East Wing, a long narrow corridor branching into several different rooms and more hallways. The real castle had polished armor and scenic paintings along the walls, but its nightmare counterpart was empty and grey like the rest of this world. He slowed to a stop when he noticed that Zelda stood frozen just before the last step of the stairway, the panicked fear returning to her face. Shadow walked back for her in concern. "What's wrong?"

Zelda bravely tried to appear fine, but she couldn't hide how she had to steady herself against the railings of the stairwell. Her other hand raised her sword slightly in defense against a threat that Shadow couldn't see. "I can't. I can't go through there."

"Why?"

Zelda didn't respond, and only shook her head. Her expression took on that dimmed look again, of someone reliving something traumatic.

Shadow Link sighed, and then peered into the hallway. The longer he looked at it, the more distorted it became, and there was an illusion of it going on forever into murky darkness. "Alright, maybe we can find a different way up," he said gently. "We just need to find a way outside to one of the balconies. The higher the better."

At this, Zelda's head snapped up towards him, her eyes wide and fearful. "We can't. There's no way out of here." When Shadow Link furrowed his brows, she continued, "We're trapped in this castle. I know. I've tried to leave but all of the doors lead back to here and…" she trailed off, glancing at the hallway that Shadow had been pointing to, "Shadow I cannot go through that hallway."

"But you don't know what's at the end, do you? Did you make it all the way to the end?" Shadow asked.

Zelda hesitated. She knew what Shadow Link was getting at, and her fears didn't want her to answer. However, the rational part of her knew what they had to do. The princess shook her head again, and she gripped her sword tightly. "I cannot go there," she repeated, but less confidently this time. A hand touched hers, and she reflexively swung her sword up. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw that she had her sword pointed at Shadow Link, who had approached her out of concern.

"I said I'm getting you out of here," Shadow Link pushed the sword away from his neck, and then clasped Zelda's hands in his. He could guess what kind of nightmare Zelda had experienced, since he, too, had once challenged Dethl to alter his dreams, and he didn't blame her for being so distraught by it. Thankfully he was just a visitor in this nightmare so it didn't have quite the same hold on him as it did on the princess, but its effect was dreadful to watch. He'd never imagined that anything could break the willful Sheik like this. "I won't force you to go down there with me, but I have to at least see if it'll lead us outside. Can you wait for m-"

"No!" Zelda shouted. Then, realizing how distraught she sounded, Zelda calmed herself, though she kept a grip on Shadow's hands as though afraid of being left alone. "No. You're right. I… we have to try. Just don't leave me here," she added, hanging her head. She pushed Shadow Link aside, although she continued to hold his hand, and led the both of them towards the hallway that she feared. She stopped for a brief moment, preparing herself, and then took a step through.

As they walked farther and farther down the hallway, Shadow Link noticed that the walls gave the illusion of becoming closer and closer together, so that it felt like the hall was only as wide as their shoulders. When he glanced back towards where they came, he could no longer see anything but another endless hallway that disappeared into murk.

The whispered voices came next. They sounded like the same ones that had stalked him through the castle courtyard, and he remembered with a small shudder the burned, shriveled hand that had clawed at him just as he'd shut the doors. They seemed to come from all around them, through the floors and the walls, and they grew louder as they continued forward into increasing darkness.

He bumped into Zelda who'd stopped in her tracks. "Zelda?" he asked, "Sheik?" He felt her fingers leave his as she clutched her head, curling over onto the floor. The sword she'd been holding in her right hand clattered to the floor, and she began to mumble to herself, dazed.

"Everyone's dead. Everyone's dead…"

"Hey!" Shadow Link shook her shoulders until the glassy-eyed look gradually left and her eyes regained focus again. "Stay with me," he insisted, and then brought his hands up to her face, forcing her to look at him when the whispers grew louder.

Zelda eventually nodded shakily, and she allowed Shadow to bring her back on her feet. She picked up her sword from the floor, and she began to walk forwards, this time being led by Shadow Link down the empty, endless hallway. She still flinched a little when the accusatory voices began to rise until they were nearly shouting, but Shadow made sure that she continued to follow him forwards. Any time she pulled back, he gave her arm a light tug.

"You're not alone anymore," he said, and then quickened his pace when he saw a faint light flicker through the darkness ahead. _And neither am I._ He felt her pull back a little for a moment, perhaps surprised by his words, before she, too, quickened her pace to match his. The nightmare became more disturbing in a last ditch attempt to stop the two of them. The grey walls vanished, replaced by rows and rows of standing corpses, their sockets empty and black, and their mouths open in a permanent scream. Some of them cracked their necks as they passed, and others tried to reach for them as they whispered unintelligible words. However, nothing slowed Zelda and Shadow Link, emboldened by each other's presence.

Eventually they made it to a door on the other side, light pouring through its cracks. Shadow Link slammed it open and they leapt through it. As soon as they did so, the doorway vanished behind them, and they found themselves atop the roof of Hyrule Castle. The two of them blinked, and then exchanged surprised glances with each other.

"We made it…" Zelda said in quiet awe. Shadow nodded in response, speechless, and then they chuckled to themselves out of relief. They continued to laugh until the sky suddenly turned a darker shade of grey, and rain began to pour. Their celebration was cut prematurely when reality settled in, and Shadow was reminded of what still awaited them.

The brief smile disappeared from Shadow Link's lips as he remembered what they had come here for. It was strange that the door had led them exactly where they needed to be, but dreams had a funny way of doing things like that. He took a deep breath, and then turned towards Zelda whose expression had become solemn. Their fingertips still touched, both afraid of being left alone in the nightmare. "So I've actually been in one of Dethl's nightmares before," he began, "and I remember them telling me that they don't like unnecessary death because nightmares end when people die."

Shadow Link trailed off, and then stared out at castle town in the distance, beyond the castle gates. He couldn't bring himself to keep his gaze on Zelda, whose blue eyes had widened in surprise when she realized just what it was that he was suggesting. He'd expected her to pull away, but instead she gave his hand a small, understanding squeeze before she, too, stared out at the town, murky and grey from the rain.

Shadow bit his lip, and then began to talk again if only to fill the heavy silence. "Have you ever noticed how you never actually die in dreams? Most of the time you wake up just as you're dying." There was a small movement next to him; a nod from Zelda. She knew what he was going to say. "I was… I was thinking-"

"Stop, Shadow. Don't say it."

Shadow Link hung his head when Zelda stopped him abruptly, his lips pulled back in a grimace. He brought a hand up to his face, pressing the cool rain against his skin. "I'm sorry I don't have a better idea," he mumbled, his voice full of shame.

Even so, Zelda still didn't pull away from him. She watched the silhouette of a large, monstrous creature slithering through the streets of castle town in the distance, her eyes losing the hardened glint and instead softening with resignation. Instead, she asked quietly, "Why did you come back for me?"

At this, Shadow Link broke into a laugh, cracked with sadness. He remembered all of those times when he'd told Sheik that he didn't believe in friendship, and all of those moments when he'd pitied the idiots like Fuu who thought that they were real. _I'm the biggest fool of them all.._.

"Because that's what friends do, right?" he flashed his usual, crooked grin. Then, he peered over the edge of the roof where the ground was about two hundred feet below them. The rain droplets fell past him and splashed on the shallow puddles below. "I'm sorry I-" he began again, but Zelda squeezed his hand harder.

"Thank you, Shadow," she stopped him with a small smile of her own, "We'll get through this."

He nodded. Then, he took a step forward when Zelda inched closer to the edge of the roof. They stood there for a while longer, still holding each other's hands, while only the sound of rain pattering on the rooftop tiles filled the silence. "Dethl said people fear the pain associated to death more than death itself," Shadow walked forward so that his toes were hanging off the tiles. He finally brought himself to look at the princess again, and he grinned when he saw that her expression mirrored his own. Fear. "Dethl's full of shit," he chuckled.

Perhaps out of nerves, Zelda brought a hand up to her face, tugging at her face mask to muffle her laughter though her shaking shoulders gave her away. She beamed at him in the same, familiar way that Sheik had done back at Death Mountain, and she closed her fingers around his tightly. "You're all right, Shadow," she said.

Then, the two of them stepped off of the roof and fell gracefully to their deaths, never letting go of each other's hand as the ground rushed up to meet them.

* * *

fleets: no vaati this time. sorry.

i suppose the whole 'leaving dreams through falling/death' could have been inspired by Inception. I think. I don't really remember. I didn't really like that movie.

i have a headcanon that sheik is a much better fighter than link (and by extension, shadow link). don't mess with 'em!

it's killing me that i have to keep my mouth shut about what i have planned because the spoilers get more spoilery...

 **Kira Akuma:** I can say with high confidence that Dethl in this story has zero redeeming qualities...

 **Ai Star:** Thank you! :D I can't wait to get back to writing him again hopefully soon!

 **fanakatsuki:** I guess Dethl's living up to their namesake 'Nightmare' :s I'm pretty horrified by them even though I'm the one writing them...

 **AquilaMage:** Thank you! I hope it wasn't _too_ disturbing (I don't want to scare any readers away...). I've always been afraid to write a Hyrule that was actually badly attacked, until now. I still cringe when I have to describe a destroyed town because I feel bad for the fictional characters haha whoops  
I was pretty upset when I was writing this chapter mostly because I felt guilty about all of the awful things I was making Shadow and Zelda/Sheik go through :(((  
And yes, I understand what you're saying! That's what I was trying to go for with that scene (as well as a setup for Twinrova meeting), so I'm really happy you caught that :D

 **Serpent Tailed Angel:** You did! :D hnggg I love KotOR a lot - really, really great RPG with an amazing antihero/villain depending on how you play it.  
She might not facilitate a lot of plot movement, but her situation's pretty key in character building :) I'm going to try and avoid the 'helpless damsel in distress route' because i like Sheik/Zelda too much for that (hopefully I don't screw up?)  
I did go with the 'magically remember everything' route with Gale in AI/OA, and I was afraid it'll end up being too much of an identical story if I did that this time. I think you'll like what I have in mind (I hope!)  
I'm crossing my fingers that this story won't be as predictable as it could be (there's a lot of obvious cliche'd plot directions I could send this story to, and I'm hoping to avoid them. Or if I don't, then at least they'll be presented in a way that's satisfactory. We'll see if I can actually deliver...)

 **Vesperupus:** I didn't think my words would do Zelda's nightmares justice in really capturing the horror, so I (cough cheated cough) and left out huge chunks of it. She's pretty traumatized though...  
Good questions though! :D I'm on the strugglebus not to answer them because they're majorly spoiler ;)

 **Lord Siravant:** You know, if Dethl reappears in another Zelda game, Nintendo might have to remove the 'family friendly' label on the franchise :P  
Rest in Pieces indeed! Many, many pieces.

 **I lurve it:** Vaati is Not Very Nice when he's upset. It was a pretty jerk move on his part to abandon Sheik, huh... D: (but Sheik _was_ a jerk to him first, yeah!)  
Good thing Sheik/Zelda has other friends they can count on! :D

FFfffffFFF oh man oh man I have so many pairing feels right now i'm such trashlord... and the sad part is I can't even share my little ideas about any of the potential pairings in this story (keeping it purposely vague here :P ) because I think this story should be completed before I do (cries)


	20. Will to Live

fleets: Heyyy, it's like I have a regular updating schedule or something! Sunday night update again! Totally unintentional though, so I can't promise anything for next week.

Also I actually included a new paragraph in Chapter 18! Lexik kindly pointed out that Vaati's epiphany to visit the Gerudo Witches seemed like a huge leap in logic without a few explanatory sentences on how he got there (it was there in my head, but I never wrote it down! Silly me. Thank you Lexik!) It's only a small paragraph of some more of Vaati's thoughts just before he decides to go visit Twinrova, but I hope it makes the transition less sudden.

* * *

 **Chapter 20: Will to Live**

The ground never reached them.

Zelda watched helplessly as darkness engulfed her, and Shadow Link's grip slipped from her fingers. She was alone again.

 _Where am I?_

She was still falling down, down into an endless, empty void. Her heart, which had been pounding quickly from the rush of stepping off of the castle roof, had slowed to a calm beat. The fear from the nightmare had gone, and all that was left was the almost serene emptiness as she fell into the darkness. The wind tickled her hair as it rushed past her in her descent.

And then, music. Her eyes that had been closed before opened slowly, surprised from hearing such a beautiful song in the vast darkness. It was a melancholy ballad by a lone ocarina, which was eventually joined by a cello singing of reluctant farewells. Then, as though to drown away the poignant string, a horn blared a promise of the future.

 _They need you._

Zelda's eyes snapped open, and jolted awake. She felt the comfortingly solid, _real_ , touch of the bed beneath her, and there was the welcome sight of sunlight pouring through the tall windows of the extravagant chamber she was in. The world was bright with vibrant hues like the clear blue sky and the purples and golds of the tapestries, unlike the perpetual grey of the nightmare. The comforting music she'd heard faded as she came to her senses, but when she closed her eyes she could still imagine it.

She noticed, then, that she was still holding on to someone's hand. Zelda hurriedly looked over the edge of her bed. "Shadow!" The teen's eyes were still closed, and he was lying on the floor next to her bed. Her breath caught when she noticed blood all over his face and hands, but thankfully they did not appear to be his. _What happened to you?_ Zelda swung herself out of the bed and knelt beside him, shaking his shoulders gently. "Shadow, please wake up." She prayed that he hadn't been left behind in the nightmare.

She gave a sigh of relief when Shadow Link stirred, his eyelids fluttering open as he woke. His eyes became more focused when he noticed Zelda kneeling next to him in concern. "You hear that music?" he asked somewhat groggily. They dared to smile, then, their nerves from the awful thing they'd had to do to escape the nightmare finally dissipating. However, no sooner had Shadow Link begun to smile that he froze, petrified by what he saw leering at them from the ceiling.

Zelda's smile vanished, a heavy feeling sinking in her chest when she noticed a small tremor in his shoulders and the color draining out of his cheeks. "Shadow?" she asked, almost afraid of his response. She slowly turned around to look at what it was that had spooked him.

A large, black, amorphous object was attached on the ceiling above them. There was no movement from it, save for a thick arm that extended from it that dragged itself through the doorway on the far end of the room. They could hear a faint noise approaching, of something being pulled along the floor, and after a few seconds a limp body appeared as it was dragged through the entrance. A large, emotionless black eye abruptly appeared on the thing crawling along the ceiling.

"Dethl," Zelda hissed, and immediately reached for one of her hidden dagger that she kept strapped on her legs at all times. And then she paused, noticing who the victim in Dethl's claws was. It was Shadow Link, a different Shadow Link than the one on the floor in front of her, with his limbs twisted and disfigured. What little she could see of his hands were raw and red, like the skin had been stripped from them. To Zelda's horror, there was a low moan from the ragged body. That Shadow Link was still _alive_.

The Nightmare tossed the body aside as it dropped down from the ceiling, observing their reactions carefully. " _Don't be so surprised, Shadow. Did you seriously think that we wouldn't notice if our Nightmare was sabotaged?"_

"Zelda, r-run…" The Shadow Link next to her stammered, his voice breaking. He recognized the tortured Shadow Link as the one that had been left to keep watch while he'd tried to bring Zelda out of the nightmare.

The large eye swiveled from Zelda, who had her dagger drawn menacingly at it, and then back towards Shadow Link cowering in fear. " _And so we see again that the fear from nightmares is not persistent, and yet fear borne from this one IS. Why is that, we wonder?"_ It inched closer, and a few additional smaller eyes appeared to observe them intently. " _Perhaps it's because the nightmare realm isn't… real. That offends us, but you cannot help it, can you."_

Zelda crouched, readying herself and trying to find an opening for an attack. However, Shadow's stuttered, almost pleading voice stopped her. "You can't fight them, Zelda. Y-you have to run…" he implored. Then, shot up on his feet, swinging his sword and slicing away one of Dethl's oozing tendrils that had snaked its way towards them. He grabbed Zelda's wrist roughly, leading the both of them out of the room. " _Run!_ "

Something zipped towards them, and Zelda quickly deflected a tendril that had charged them with her dagger. However, she wasn't fast enough for the second one that snaked around from the side. She tried to warn Shadow Link, but it was too late, and it pierced him through his knee, sending him skidding across the floor of the palace. She ran back to help him, but someone else grabbed her wrist, pulling her away. She was about to wrench herself free, but was shocked to find that it was yet _another_ Shadow Link. "Shadow? But how-" She turned back to the first Shadow Link who was now fighting for his life against Dethl in a losing battle.

The newest Shadow scowled, and then tugged at her wrist again, urging her to leave the other one behind. "I'm only going to say this once, blondie," he said, looking away from the other Shadow who was slowly getting cut to pieces, "Never stop for any Shadow Link. There're literally hundreds of us. Just keep running until you get out of this place, and don't try to be a hero." Then, he added almost bitterly, "Your life is worth more than mine."

"But…" Zelda trailed off, and she allowed herself to be slowly pulled away. There was no saving the other Shadow Link. She gritted her teeth together, upset about how all she could do right now was to run away. Frustrated, she twisted out of Shadow Link's grip, causing him to stop and turn back at her in surprise. She looked almost angry at him now. "That's not true, Shadow. Even if there are many of you, every single one of you has a life worth living." As she said this, memories of navigating the nightmare with the other Shadow Link surfaced. The feelings of hope and trust that had been built between them as they pushed forward, her hand in his, had been real. "Don't throw away yours so easily." Then, she pushed past him, running ahead.

"I…" Shadow Link stared blankly at the princess, and then quickly followed to catch up. "Heh, your kindness disgusts me," he shook his head with a grin, and then, pointed towards a corridor leading to the periphery of the Palace of Winds. They ran faster when they heard a crash behind them, as Dethl had finally decided to come after them instead of destroying the other Shadow. "That kind of attitude is exactly what's going to get you killed, ya know? You can't save everyone."

"I can at least _try_."

They sprinted around the corner, trying to put distance between them and the Nightmare that was slithering towards them, still dragging the bodies of their barely-alive victims. As Zelda rounded the corner, her breath caught in her throat at the sight that awaited her. Hundreds and hundreds of Shadow Links stood waiting with their swords drawn to face Dethl. There were some that blockaded the path ahead, and many more hanging about the upper walkways, or watching them from the open archways along the palace walls. Shadow Links lined the ceilings and hovered in the air, riding the resident peahats that slowly drifted along the wind.

The Shadow Link that had been with her earlier grinned upon seeing her shocked expression. "Then help me try to save _yours_ ," he said, and then pointed the way towards their exit just past the blockade of Shadow Links. They parted to let them through, although they quickly closed the path when Dethl snaked into view.

For a few seconds it looked as though Zelda was going to turn around and join the fight, and her steps slowed hesitantly. However, she clenched her fists and continued forward with the Shadow Link leading the way through the crowd. Shadow Link was right: she couldn't afford to recklessly attack Dethl without some kind of plan. She should at least recruit other help first to defeat a powerful monster like them, and until then, all she could do was help Shadow help her.

As Zelda disappeared past the crowd, the black blob slowed to a stop, and its large eye scanned the gathering of Shadow Links uninterestedly. Some of the blob oozed into the walls and the floor, staining the white stone into a deep shade of poisonous maroon while Dethl addressed the Shadow Links in minor annoyance. " _You don't really think all of you can stop us, do you? Step aside, and we may decide to spare you for a little while longer, minion,"_ the creature ordered, with a hint of malice in its voice. Several eyes blinked open on the colored walls and floors, forcing a few of the Shadow Links to back away uneasily. Still, the main force of the doppelgangers continued to block Dethl's path.

"Go ahead and pretend you're like Vaati all you want, Dethl, but you're not even half the master that Master Vaati was," a Shadow Link from the group called. Another one added defiantly, "And I'm not your minion!"

" _Rude…_ " Dethl drawled. The layered voice became much more menacing, then, and the blob began to pool together, taking the form of a large, hovering sphere. The Shadow Links closest to it backed away when two enormous claws grew from the sphere, and a single large eye opened in its center. A few of the Shadow clones appeared unnerved by how similar Dethl looked to Vaati's most powerful form, but they did their best to stand their ground while the Nightmare clicked their claws threateningly. " _Well we only ever needed one of you. By the time we're done, at least one of you will be begging to be our minion like you once did with Vaati."_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"It's just through here."

Zelda and Shadow ran through the magnificent floating palace, sprinting as fast as they could while the other Shadow Links bought them time to escape. Zelda had little time to marvel at the scale and serene beauty of the place, though she did wonder about how large the palace was as they ran from one section of it to another. The Palace of Winds was almost as large as a Hyrule Castle Town, with different sections of the palace connected with narrow skyways like buildings connected by streets.

Behind them in the distance, Zelda could hear rumbles and explosions as Dethl fought with the hundreds and hundreds of different Shadow Links. For now, they seemed to be safe from the Nightmare pursuing them.

 _How do we beat them? How?_ Zelda's mind raced for any possible solution to defeating what Shadow Link called 'Nightmare Incarnate.' As though reading her thoughts, Shadow Link looked over his shoulder towards her.

"I've said this before, but it's impossible for Dethl to die. You can't kill a nightmare."

Zelda bit her lip, but then she noticed that there was still a faint glimmer of determination in Shadow Link's eyes that suggested that hope was not lost. "But we can send them back to the Dark World?" she guessed, "Will it work if we break the Dark Mirror again?"

At this, Shadow fell quiet, and he went back to looking straight ahead while they ran through the beautiful arches of the white palace. When he finally spoke, his voice was heavy and somewhat defeated. "No, it won't," he said quietly, "The Mirror is but a door. If we break it, Dethl will simply remain here, in this world. They might disappear for a while, but they'll come back again someday and then all of this will repeat itself." When Zelda waited patiently for Shadow Link to continue, he sighed, and then chuckled in a troubled way. "Ideally, Dethl would go back to the Dark World on their own and then we can break the Dark Mirror after it so it can't come back here, but…"

"But Dethl doesn't look like they'll be going back any time soon," Zelda nodded, shaking her head. It sounded like an impossibly unlikely task.

The two of them slowed when the skyway they were running on eventually led to a spacious floating platform of blue and white tiles. There was a shallow pool of water in the center that reflected the clear blue sky above. Zelda could see some floating blue lights that glowed softly like fireflies above the water, and she recognized it as a warp rift which would teleport them somewhere, most likely to the lands far below them.

Finally, they could escape this place.

Next to her Shadow Link beamed at her. "We can do this. We'll find a way somehow," he smiled, and Zelda almost couldn't help but smile back from his earnest effort to be optimistic in the face of absolute despair. "Maybe we can find Master Vaati, too, and convince him to help us out."

At this Zelda faltered, and her hair fell softly over her eyes when she hung her head in shame. "I don't… Shadow what I did to him is unforgiveable. He's not going to talk to me, much less help."

"If we're doomed anyway, we might as well try, yeah?" Shadow grinned when Zelda finally cracked a small smile and nodded. "Come on, we can apologize together, pick a goddess, and pray. I call dibs on Hylia."

" _Then start praying now."_

Something wet and sticky splattered across Zelda's face. Her fingers slowly went up to her cheek and she wiped her thumb across her skin.

Blood. There was blood on her face.

Her blue eyes raised towards Shadow Link who was staring at her in shock. Crimson was dripping from the corner of his mouth where he'd coughed up blood. He looked downwards at the sharp tendril that was sticking out of his stomach.

"Shadow…?" Zelda asked, her voice cracking. She watched as Shadow Link collapsed into the pool, coughing and gasping while the blood pouring out of his gaping wound stained the water.

The tendril whipped back towards where it had come from: a black amorphous creature blocking the path where they had come from.

Zelda couldn't believe what she was seeing. There was no way it could have caught up with them so soon. No way it could have gotten past all of those hundreds of Shadow Links so easily. _Why? Why was Dethl here?_

" _It amuses us that you thought you could create a diversion with your small army of copies. You're not the only one who can create multiple copies of themselves, Shadow Link. Remember, we are infinite, too,"_ the creature's eye swiveled open, peering at them with that familiar, eerie gaze.

Zelda froze, a horrifying thought consuming her. _Don't tell me there's more than one Dethl._

She felt something pull at her feet. It was Shadow Link, his arms collapsing as he tried to push himself up from the floor. "Z-Zelda, go," he gurgled, coughing up blood again.

Another tendril shot up from the ground just a few feet away from them, and it flashed towards them to strike. Eyes narrowing, Zelda summoned a magical shield, deflecting it, and then she slammed it into the ground with a well-timed spin kick. Before Dethl could attack again, Zelda pulled Shadow Link over her shoulders, dragging him towards the warp rift.

"Seriously just… leave me. I'm n-not going to make it anyway."

"I told you not to throw away your life so easily!" Zelda scowled, struggling under his weight. She managed to deflect another attack, but Dethl was closing in on them quickly.

Zelda barely heard Shadow Link's whisper in her ear. "Heh," he chuckled lightly, and then Zelda felt some of the weight lift away from her shoulders as Shadow Link staggered on to his feet. She lifted her head, surprised, and was then knocked off balance when he shoved her with the remaining strength he had. As she fell into the warp rift, he grinned. "Your kindness really disgusts me."

Zelda's eyes widened, and her fingers reached for Shadow Link, but it was too late. "I'm coming back for you, Shadow! I _promise!"_ She screamed, her hand outstretched helplessly. However, the warp rift was activating, and the blue lights that floated around her became larger and larger until her vision was consumed by a flash of blinding white.

And then, just like that, the Palace of Winds was gone. Shadow Link was gone. Blue runes glowed beneath her feet for a brief moment before they vanished, and Zelda found herself in the shade of some ancient ruins. Old statues and remnants of pillars similar to those found at the Palace of Winds lay broken and crumbling, and behind her there was a huge rock formation that overshadowed the ruins. The sand swept across another warp rift that glowed softly above some lines of ancient Hylian carved into the stone.

Fearing Dethl would come after her through the warp rift, Zelda stumbled away. She was still numb from what she had just witnessed at the Palace of Winds, but she couldn't just stand here and wait. Zelda forced her slightly trembling legs to move, and she only stopped to judge where she was, and where she should head for next. A wide, empty desert expanse awaited her, with nothing to be seen for miles and miles except oceans of sand. She was most likely somewhere in the Gerudo Desert, and probably close to the Valley of the Dead judging how she couldn't even see the silhouette of Death Mountain in the horizon. The Valley of the Dead was a place where they said not even the monsters traversed, and the Gerudos avoided it saying that none who entered could find their way back.

She had to find the Gerudo camps – it was the closest place of safety she could think of, if she was indeed in the edge of the Gerudo Desert. It would be a brutal journey to travel the desert sands on foot, but she had to do it. She remembered the song she'd heard just as she'd woken from the nightmare that Shadow Link had saved her from, and the message it had left her with. _They need you._

And she remembered, too, her last vision of Shadow Link at the Palace of Winds as the warp rift took her away. She remembered Dethl's coils springing up from beneath Shadow Link's feet as he continued to smile at her encouragingly, even as the blood continued to fill his lungs.

She had to live.

The sand was hot beneath her feet, and the sun still had most of the day left to complete its journey across the sky. This was no path for a princess to take. However, a Sheikah warrior…

Zelda closed her eyes and then took a deep breath. She swirled her hands in large circles, her fingertips glowing with magic. With a flash, her royal dress was replaced with the uniform of a shadow warrior, her skin became slightly darker, and her feminine form was concealed for that of a young man.

The sand was just as hot under his feet as Sheik, but the nervous uncertainty about potentially dying alone in the desert dissipated. Sheik held on to the princess's emotions; the anguish from hurting her friends, the fear from the nightmare, the despair from failing Shadow, and most importantly, the determination to live.

He needed to hold on to all of these memories while he walked the unforgiving sands, so that he might make it to fulfill the promise he'd made to Shadow.

And perhaps make things right with Vaati again.

* * *

fleets: I was listening to "One Call Away" on the radio and I just couldn't get it out of my head while I was writing this scene. Dang.

For those of you who haven't played Link's Awakening, I HIGHLY recommend you check out the "Ballad of the Wind Fish." It's a beautiful song, and it's the one that I was trying to describe in this chapter.

 **RayHollows:** I do like my cliffhangers :P  
I hope this wasn't too long of a cliff hanging though! I usually end up being pretty good about updating because I also can't stand my own cliffhangers...  
Aw thank you! I'm rooting for them both too! And I'm showing Shadow just how much I'm rooting for him by killing him repeatedly. Oh wait...

(pssst likewise thanks for the follow too :D :D though you've already seen my enthusiastic message ;) )

 **Ai Star:** You called it! Dethl was totally waiting for them. Hmmm we'll see more of Vaati pretty soonish! He's still kind of mad, and by kind of mad I mean pretty really mad haha (whoops)

 **fanakatsuki:** Thank you! Shadow Link has really grown on me this story, and I feel a little guilty about all of the crap I put him through (but apparently not guilty enough?). I have a lot to say about Vaati but ahhhh I can't :O

 **AquilaMage:** Ok! That's good to know! (I really don't want to upset people but at the same time I think it's necessary in some of these chapters to really capture Dethl). As for Shadow's idea ummm... i guess it was good, but then it was bad because Dethl...? Ah well, it's a lot better than some of the other decisions he's made lately XD

 **Cattycheeno:** Aw thank you! Shadow's especially come a long way since the beginning of this story :3  
Hahaha you're right! Shadow and Vaati did switch places, didn't they? Vaati's free as the wind right now, no more 'leashes.' His 'leash' was really dependent on him being convinced that he has to do everything in his power to protect Princess Zelda, but now he's super mad at her soooo yeah. He quit.

 **Lexik:** First off, thank you so much for all of your reviews, wow! I really enjoyed/appreciated reading all of them :D  
The scene with Zelda defending herself against Fuu/Vaati was actually based off of a scene from the KotOR Star Wars video game that this story was inspired from. Except in the game, Vaati's character didn't react in a way that I thought was realistic (they were basically o.k. with it when the Zelda character told them they gave him a second chance. That made me upset).  
UHMMM the spell unlocking the door (sweats nervously) let's pretend it was... a... special door? (I remember I had an explanation for this because I tossed and turned on this scene for nights and then I _completely forgot to write it_.) Erk, this one would need a bigger fix than the other mistake you caught, so it'll be a work in progress D: (thank you so much for catching these!)  
I like to think of Zelda and Sheik as two different personas of the 'same' person (as in, Sheik isn't just a disguise for Zelda), and they're both just as real :)

 **Reily96:** Thanks Reilybunch! I think staying up at ungodly hours actually helped me with that scene because sometimes I tend to get really... bizarre dreams. Thankfully they weren't as scary as Zelda's nightmare.  
Honestly it was kind of hard for me to write Dethl at first because I feel bad about writing straight up evil characters (I have a tendency to antihero the crap out of everyone). It takes a strong stomach to write the really awful villains D: (like your Poe. Yeesh that guy in Tempest is a nutcase, and not in the endearing villainous way...)


	21. A Chance Reunion

fleets: I'm still young and full of energy! Check out this update schedule! Check out my abs!

hmmhmmhmmmmm these next few segments were a little tricky in terms of how/where I wanted to split up the chapters. Hopefully this wasn't _too_ short, but I wasn't sure where to make the transition breaks. Ah well.

Also some really awesome individuals have recently made some great fanart for this story! If you would like to check them out, they're posted on tumblr under the tag 'art for fleets' :D

* * *

 **Chapter 21: A Chance Reunion**

Two figures made their way across the blistering sands. They were two women, skin dark from the desert sun with hair red and billowing like fire. One of them gently prodded their horse, a fierce looking beast that had faced monsters and war, with the pole of their spear to spur it forwards. They were Gerudo patrols.

"Twinrova are crazy if they think we can continue moving our camps out towards the Valley of the Dead like this," one of them said exasperatedly as she looked out over the horizon. The mountainous boulders and hills that surrounded Gerudo Valley were becoming less prominent as they ventured out further towards the deeper parts of the desert. Without the mountains shielding the land, the winds became more unforgiving near the Valley of the Dead. This part of the desert hadn't earned its ominous name for nothing.

Her companion nodded sympathetically. "I know. At this rate the desert will kill us before the monsters do." Then, she added, "I prefer the desert though. I don't want to end up like the ones who lived closer to Hyrule." Hyrule was currently in turmoil, suffering from more attacks than it had in years. The brutality of the attacks was unprecedented, and people could only describe them as 'nightmarish.'

"I don't know if the monsters are all responsible for that though. Since when did monsters start tearing up their own kind to prop up in those disgusting displays?"

"Don't know. Maybe one of them snapped or something. Who knows what they're thinking?"

They led their horses on the edge of a sandbank, keeping an eye out for the vicious sandworms as well as any raiding parties that might threaten their camp nearby. Suddenly, something caught one of the Gerudo's eye. She urged her horse to canter towards the object lying on the ground several feet away from them. It stood out in the smooth contours of the sand; it wasn't something that belonged in the desert. The gold grains of the sand swept by the wind threatened to bury the blue uniform. "A person!" she cried, leaping off of her horse.

"A Sheikah," her companion added incredulously when she saw the infamous red insignia of the shadow warriors on the fallen figure's outfit. He was a young man, and she noted that his face was red and dry from the sun, and his breath was ragged and weak. Her eyes trailed along the footprints behind him, leading out in the direction of the Valley of the Dead. "Don't tell me he was wandering around out _there_."

"Sheikah are crazy," the other one shook her head, "he's a fool to wander there without any supplies or a horse." She gently picked him up and handed him over to the other patrol, helping her prop the unconscious Sheikah on the horse. "Come on, we have to take him back to camp."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It had taken Vaati some time to find the Gerudos again, as they had moved their camps since the last time he'd seen them. In the place of their old camp he found nothing but dying campfires and holes in the ground where the tents had been staked in. He'd also found their supposedly permanent location, a fortress a few miles away from the campsite, but it appeared recently abandoned and completely empty.

It wasn't difficult to guess what had caused them to leave, as he'd encountered many horrible, nightmarish displays of bodies, both dead and half-alive, all around the roads and ruined villages. Interestingly, some of the villages appeared to have been spared, although their residents had long since fled: no doubt Dethl had wanted some survivors to spread the news of their horror.

He'd finally found the Gerudos in a temporary camp further out in the desert. Although he knew that the dark skinned warriors were resourceful and could survive out in the harsh environment, he'd been surprised that they had been pushed so far out near the more unforgiving lands. He was currently surveying the Gerudo camp, hovering above it just below the clouds. He watched the Gerudo go about their daily routines for a while, wondering how he should pay a visit.

Eventually, Vaati floated down and landed in the middle of the camp, causing everyone there to stop what they were doing in surprise. He cast an unimpressed gaze at the quickly gathering crowd, and at the increasing number of spears and scimitars that were now pointed in his direction. The infamous witches were still nowhere in sight.

"Halt, state your business, outsider," one of the Gerudos barked. Her face, like the others', was covered with a heavy cloth, but he could tell that she was looking at him something fierce. She was glaring at him like he was a poisonous snake that had wandered in uninvited.

Ah, well that wasn't too far from the truth, was it?

"I'm here to see the witches. They… might have something of mine," Vaati replied. Perhaps his red eyes gleamed with a terrible glow with his last few words, because the women nearest to him faltered, their grip on their weapons loosening in uncertainty.

The supposed leader of the group of Gerudo gathered around him hesitated under the flash of wrath that she'd seen from the mysterious Sheikah who'd descended from the sky. It had only been a glimpse of his fury that she'd caught, but it was enough to make her second guess herself. "Twinrova aren't seeing anyone right now."

"They'll be seeing me," Vaati smiled. It was an uncomfortable smile, one that was too friendly to be considered genuine. "You know, I have absolutely no business with you and I don't want to have any business with you, so why don't you stop wasting my time and get out of my way?"

"This is your last warning, stranger," the leader raised her scimitar, and the others surrounding Vaati followed her. As soon as she did so, she saw Vaati's expression instantly darken, like thunderclouds gathering before a storm. A brief thought, _I made a mistake,_ passed through her head, before she bravely overcame her fear and prepared for the worst. This individual was dangerous, and he couldn't be allowed further into the camp. She had to stop him here.

"Now, now, Meena, the Sheikah are always welcome to meet with us. Isn't that right, Koume?"

They all turned to the elderly woman who had waddled through the crowd from one of the tents behind Vaati. She carried a broom in one hand, and supported her hunched back with the other. She looked down over her prominent, crooked nose over at the sorcerer, emphasizing the word 'Sheikah' just barely enough for Vaati to catch the ridicule behind it.

Next to her, another identical woman joined her. Her hair was pulled back in an equally ridiculous manner in a way that made the two witches resemble brooms themselves. The only way to tell them apart was that the first one wore a gaudy blue jewel on their forehead while the second wore a red one. The one named Koume with the red gem grinned as she cackled, "That's right, Kotake. The _Sheikah_ are welcome in our camp." Again, that same emphasis on the word Sheikah, as though there was an unspoken accusation that they knew what Vaati was not.

The other Gerudos made way for the witches, and Twinrova approached Vaati. Their appearance as fragile, elderly women was deceiving: Vaati could sense the tickle of formidable magic power as they walked towards him. They, too, smiled in a way that could only be described as dangerously polite.

 _They know. These wrinkled old hags KNOW,_ Vaati thought, anticipation bubbling in his chest.

Kotake waved her broom at the woman who'd first confronted Vaati. "We'll deal with him, Meena. Do not worry about Twinrova."

Meena frowned, glancing uncertainly at the strange young man who'd suddenly appeared in their camp. While she knew that the witches were a force to be reckoned with, she didn't like the way the Sheikah's fingers twitched from time to time, as though restraining an attack. "But…"

"No buts," Koume held up a finger. The message was clear, and Meena backed down: 'This intruder is too much for you to handle,' it had said. When Meena stepped back into the circle of the rest of the Gerudos, Twinrova turned their attention back on Vaati. "Now follow us, boy, and we'll have a nice long chat." Koume beckoned Vaati to follow with a wrinkled, chemical-stained finger.

Vaati followed, his fingertips tense and ready at any sign of treachery. The warriors gathered around him gave him space, but he could feel their suspicious gazes on his back as he followed Twinrova into a large tent in the center of the camp. Once inside, the two witches hopped onto their brooms and floated in the air, while they pointed at a chair in front of a table for Vaati to settle down in.

Vaati ignored the chair, and instead remained standing. He narrowed his eyes, not liking the way the witches looked down their noses at him from the air. "You know what I'm here for," he said, trying not to let the accusatory anger drip into his voice too much.

"Ah? I have no clue what you're talking about. Do you, dear sister?" Kotake asked loudly, and when her sister shook her head no, they both cackled in the most infuriating way.

Now the anger was evident in Vaati's voice. "Don't play dumb with me. You know what happened to my memories."

"Do I? Do you? Do we? Eeheehee!" the two witches laughed while Vaati's fist shook. They circled around him while they talked amongst themselves. They weren't talking loudly enough for Vaati to hear, but from the way they giggled and poked each other on the shoulder suggested that they'd gotten sidetracked into some other irrelevant conversation.

"Return my memories," Vaati hissed, his patience running thin.

The witches stopped cackling, and they circled back towards Vaati slowly, deliberately. They were no longer smiling, and their sharp, inquisitive eyes narrowed indignantly. Koume suddenly lashed out, irritation apparent in her voice as she said severely, "Do you even know what you're asking us to do?"

A normal individual may have been intimidated by the way the two witches closed in on them, but Vaati was too angry to care. "I'm not going to ask twice," he said slowly, voice raising. The inside of the tent flared blue when Vaati raised his hands, sparks dancing across his fingers.

"And you do not know who you're trying to threaten! You're at least two hundred years too early, boy!"

Before a fight could break out between the three of them, the tent flap fluttered open and one of the Gerudo guards burst through. She took a look at the scene before her and she froze, momentarily forgetting the message she'd come to deliver. Koume and Kotake's palms were lit with fire and ice magic respectively, while Vaati's fingertips crackled and sparked with powerful energy. After a while, she gulped, and backed out of the tent a little to give the three of them some space. "The patrols are back," she announced as she pointed outside, "they found a Sheikah man collapsed in the desert, just near the Valley of the Dead."

For the first time in a while, an expression other than anger appeared on Vaati's face. He dropped his hands, and the sparks vanished as he stared at the messenger in surprise. _It couldn't be…_ he blinked, and his mouth parted, stricken from the news.

The guard continued, "Twinrova, he needs your help. He's heavily dehydrated and it looks like he's suffering from shock."

The two witches glanced at Vaati with disdain, and then turned back to the messenger. With a synchronized snap of their fingers, the magic in their palms dispersed. "Well, send him here." They hopped off their brooms and cleared some space for the patient who was going to arrive, but not before shooing Vaati aside irritably. "We don't have time for you right now. Scat!"

The tent opened again, this time with two Gerudos carrying an unconscious figure. Vaati's eyes widened, and rather than the anger that had previously consumed him, his voice could no longer hide his concern. "Sheik!" He ran up to the other Sheikah, pushing aside the witches and taking him in his arms. The witches began to object, but quieted when they saw genuine distress on Vaati's face.

All of his previous bitterness, his fury about being betrayed, was but a small voice in his head. In that moment, he could no longer hear the voice that insisted that Sheik deserved to suffer for what he had done. Vaati hadn't prepared himself for what he would do if he ever ran into Sheik again, and he especially hadn't been ready to see Sheik the way he was now.

Sheik looked awful. His breathing was erratic, and his skin had turned red, almost raw and blistered, from walking under the harsh sun of the desert. There were blood smears on his face and clothes.

And then, for a brief moment, the guilt that he'd bottled up after he'd left Sheik for dead at the Desert Temple resurfaced.

 _What have I done?_

Behind him, Koume and Kotake exchanged glances, frowning with a small tilt of their heads. They exchanged a few muttered words for a few moments, discussing the new development. Then, with a sigh, the fire witch Koume walked up to the distressed Vaati, leaning over his shoulder. She watched how he held the other Sheikah carefully in a way only close companions could. "You care about him," she observed in genuine curiosity.

Almost instantly, Vaati's red eyes steeled, and his shoulders tensed defensively. Koume couldn't help but feel sorry for him, as she saw how he seemed to struggle and fight against both his bitterness and his guilt. He neither agreed nor denied the statement, and instead snarled, "He betrayed me."

And although his outrage flashed across his face, it was almost halfhearted, and he didn't seem to notice that he still had Sheik in his arms like he was afraid to let him go again.

In that moment, something changed about the way the witches regarded the sorcerer. Rather than looking at him with derision and contempt, their expressions softened with pity.

Koume hobbled over, her harmless aura a stark contrast to the fierce fire witch she'd been only moments before. "We all make mistakes. Sometimes you have to learn how to forgive and let go."

Vaati pulled away. "Don't patronize me," he snapped, resentful. "There are some things you just can't forgive."

At this, Koume's expression darkened. "That is true. There are some things that cannot be forgiven," she agreed, and she let her words sink in until Vaati understood what she meant with her accusatory pause. She smiled a little when she saw Vaati bite his cheek, frowning at her allusion to all of the things he'd done as the infamous wind mage. "Some things cannot be forgiven, and yet your friend here tried to see past that and trust you." A twinkle appeared in her eye as she added, "You know what I'm talking about."

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Vaati growled stubbornly.

Koume jabbed Vaati in the ribs with a bony finger. "Hmph! We heard from Darunia how the Sheikah stood up for you. Do you still say we know nothing?" She grinned when Vaati stared at her, struck speechless. His brows furrowed in a mix of irritation and confusion.

Koume smiled, gently this time rather than her earlier mocking on. She tapped Vaati on the shoulder, waving her broom towards the unconscious figure to remind him to let go of Sheik so they could take care of him. Vaati scowled at being poked, and then reluctantly withdrew to a corner.

"He'll be all right," the witch reassured him, and then nodded to her sister who'd been watching the entire exchange with a curious look on her face.

For all his claims saying that he didn't care, Vaati watched them from a dark corner like a hawk, making sure that Sheik was going to be fine. He had a difficult frown on his face as he remained crouched in the corner of the tent, like he was unsure of where to direct his anger. His expression remained tense as Twinrova circled around Sheik, chanting spells and enchantments while tossing some kind of crushed dried leaves and powder over the body.

"There," Koume announced when they were done treating the unconscious Sheikah. She crossed her arms and huffed when she noticed Vaati in the corner, his nose crinkled under the bangs that fell across his face. "Don't look at me like that. He's resting now," she waggled a finger when Vaati continued to frown skeptically at Sheik who was still very much unconscious.

Eventually his shoulders visibly relaxed when he realized that Sheik's breathing had returned to normal.

"Meena!" Kotake screeched, and the Gerudo warrior from earlier peered inside the tent. The witch waved her broom at the resting Sheik. "Take him to one of the empty tents," she ordered.

Suddenly, Vaati stood up from where he'd been waiting. His presence was so imposing that Meena froze, allowing the pale youth to move in front of her. "No," he said sternly, and then scooped Sheik up to carry him. His eyes narrowed in a challenge at the others around him, as though daring them to stop him. "I'll do it. Just tell me where to go."

Meena glanced uncertainly at the senior witches for approval. Behind Vaati, Koume and Kotake shrugged and grinned, and waved their broomsticks towards the entrance, shooing them outside. Meena nodded, and then wordlessly led Vaati towards one of the empty tents of the Gerudo camp.

Vaati ignored the other Gerudos who stopped what they were doing to stare at him carrying Sheik across the camp. Instead, he looked at the now peacefully sleeping Sheik in a way that suggested that his face couldn't make up its mind whether to glare or not. After all, he was still upset, no, furious, at what Sheik had done to him.

But beneath that anger, if he would dare to admit it, was overwhelming anguish. He'd trusted him. He'd thought Sheik was a friend, and yet…

 _Why did you come back, now of all times?_ he thought, lowering his gaze. _Just when I was about to retrieve everything I'd lost, you come back as though to stop me._

Meena stopped in front of the tent that had been set aside for them, and then left to go back to her work. Although the Gerudo regarded Vaati with caution, they did not bother him; it appeared as though Twinrova had given the order to leave them alone for now. Vaati carefully set Sheik down on the bedroll that was spread on the floor, while he took a seat on the pile of cushions on top of the soft rug.

 _How dare you do this to me._

Vaati sighed tiredly, and conflicted once again he leaned against the cushions, his head rolling lazily backwards. He stared up at the ceiling, blinking slowly, wondering about what he was supposed be feeling. Defaulting back to anger just made him tired now that Sheik had come back from… well, whatever nightmare he'd come back from.

 _Goddesses damn it Sheik, why did you come back to drag me into your problems again?_

Even after all this time, after everything that had happened, Vaati couldn't deny the gut feeling that almost obligated him to help Sheik. He scowled. To help _Princess Zelda_. That feeling was just something they'd tricked him into feeling, wasn't it? That compulsion to want to help… none of that was real. It made him sick just thinking about it, and yet…

Vaati laid down on his side, cradling his head in his hands in frustration. _You have no idea how much I hate you._ Across from him, Sheik was still sleeping peacefully. Eventually, mental exhaustion overtook the sorcerer, and he too closed his eyes to rest.

 _But I'm glad you're still alive._

* * *

fleets: This chapter took me by surprise, because when I first planned it, Vaati was much, much more angry (as in, visibly angry and not just water-boiling-under-the-lid angry). Things sometimes change quite a bit from my initial planning, and this was an example of that. I'm not sure if I've said this before, but when I write (especially dialogue), I usually ummm, how to say this... "become?" the character? If that makes any sense? Oy that sounds like a bad werewolf line. I guess it's kind of like extreme empathy, or something idk. At any rate, it just didn't seem right for Vaati to be _angry_ angry here, since he's still technically Fuu even though he now prefers Vaati. Man, I kind of wanted him to rampage a little, but I'm at the mercy of the story, yeah?

 **Ai Star:** Things are looking up? Maybe? Not really? Haha that's what I expected at first too, but it's funny how things change from what's initially planned!

 **RayHollows:** SHIP ALL THE THI...(cough). To be honest Shadow/Zelda took me by surprise because of the way it kind of snuck up on me the last two chapters. I actually _do_ have a favored ship here, though it remains questionable whether or not it'll be showcased in this story. (and aaah thank you your enthusiasm is so sweet :O )

Oh! No problem! :D I'm just glad it reached you because tumblr has been doing strange things to me in the past few weeks! :3

 **AquilaMage:** I usually have a clear favorite character in a story (like bam, in Rend it was Vaati, in Avi it was Vaati, in OA it was Thistle, and in WIR/FaV it was Vaati. TOTALLY not biased here...). But this time I just really like the brot3 with Sheik/Shadow/Vaati and none of them are really pulling ahead of the other.  
Oh yeah, Dethl is pretty overpowered in this story. ;)  
aaaah now I'm curious about what you mean! (you're killing me here i'm dying to know hahaha)


	22. The Anger that Burns

fleets: man, i hope i did this chapter justice because it's a pretty important one.

Once again (and I know I'm sounding like a broken record but I mean this so so so much) thank you for your continued support! It really makes my day when I see messages from you guys.

* * *

 **Chapter 22: The Anger that Burns**

Sheik groaned, stirring from where he'd been sleeping. His head throbbed, a dull ache from nausea, and there was a slight sting across his cheeks where his skin had been burned by the unforgiving desert sun. His fingers twitched as he woke, and his eyelids slowly blinked open. _Where am I?_ he wondered, looking up at the canvas of the tent. Gradually, he remembered walking in the desert, the sun burning into his back as he walked the sands. He remembered the hours and hours and hours of seeing nothing but the gold horizon, and turning back from time to time to confirm that he had, in fact, made forward progress. He remembered the heat that burned through the sole of his shoes until it was a dull, constant pain, and the dryness of his throat the more he tried to breathe.

He pushed himself up from the bedroll beneath him and took in his surroundings. The last thing he'd remembered was sudden darkness as he lost consciousness, and a heavy thud as his body hit the sand. _I'm alive?_ he wondered. Sheik's eyes adjusted to the dim light of the tent. He recognized the red dyed rug spread on the ground and the simple yet elegantly embroidered cushions to be of Gerudo work. _Ah, I must have been lucky for the Gerudo to have found me out there,_ he thought.

Sheik had to steady himself, then, when memories flooded his head. He remembered the cool mist of clouds spraying his face as he ran through the palace floating in the sky, remembered his breath catching as he forced himself to leave the hundreds of Shadow Links to fight Dethl, and remembered the blood splattering across his face as Shadow Link was stabbed in front of him. He remembered reaching towards the doomed smile of acceptance as the warp rift sent him away.

Sheik tried to get up onto his feet. _Shadow Link… I have to go back._

Suddenly, Sheik froze when his eyes caught sight of a person in the tent with him. They'd blended in with the cushions piled on the other side, and he hadn't noticed them at first. He could feel his heartbeat thud faster when he realized that he recognized them.

It was exactly the person he'd been searching for, but he didn't know if he was ready to face them so soon.

"Fu-" he stopped himself when the other's red eyes slowly settled on his, and narrowed. He tried again. "Vaati…?" he asked cautiously.

They stared at each other for a while, though neither of them said anything. After a while, Vaati broke his gaze and continued to remain sitting where he was in silence.

There were so many things Sheik wanted to say since the last time they'd met. He wanted to explain what had happened, why they had happened. He wanted to say the things he'd never had the courage to admit, like how much he relied on him. He wanted to ask him for his help to save Shadow Link, and most of all, he wanted to tell him he was sorry. He was sorry for what he'd said at the Desert Temple, and he was sorry for hiding things from him.

He was sorry for thinking he had the right to change who Vaati was.

All of these things he wanted to say, and yet one look at Vaati's face and Sheik couldn't bring himself to say a single word. They could only sound like excuses and empty words at this point. It was much too late… wasn't it?

He glanced over at the mage a few times, but Vaati pointedly ignored him. Sheik wondered why Vaati hadn't already stood up and left, or why he was here in the first place. Just as he was wondering how long the awkward silence was going to last, someone appeared at the tent's entrance. The deep orange of the setting sun lit up the interior, and the outline of a built, muscular woman appeared.

"Oh," the Gerudo warrior looked between Vaati and Sheik uncertainly, noting the heavy pressure between the two of them. She frowned a little, and then tilted her nose towards Vaati. "Hey, you," she ordered, "Twinrova wants you out of here before nightfall."

At this, Vaati stirred. "Tell them I'm not leaving until I get what I came here for," he growled. His fingers dug into his knees as he spoke.

"Their orders were that they would allow you to stay until evening when you could make sure your friend was okay. The sun's setting now. You have to go."

Sheik watched Vaati's knuckles whiten and the sorcerer's expression darken. Sheik's expression softened when he realized that Vaati had been with him while he'd recovered. _Did I worry him, even after everything I'd done?_ He sighed heavily, reluctantly thinking back on how they had parted and the barbed words that had been exchanged.

Sheik's brows furrowed when he pieced together what Vaati was doing with the Gerudos, and then his eyes steeled when he understood what it was that he had to do. Before Vaati or the Gerudo could say anything more, Sheik pulled himself up to his feet. He tottered slightly, his body still recovering from the ordeal he'd gone through, and then slowly made his way over to Vaati when he'd steadied himself. The other raised his head, his red eyes widening in surprise before they immediately thinned into a glare.

Unfazed, Sheik continued to approach him until he was standing directly in front of the sorcerer. Vaati, still sitting with that almost predatory crouch, glowered at him.

Sheik gave a short nod towards the entrance. "Come with me," he said.

Vaati's shoulders stiffened.

"Let's go talk to Twinrova," Sheik supplied. Vaati's scowl vanished momentarily when he blinked in surprise, and the guard by the entrance echoed his astonishment.

"Hey, you can't do tha-" she began, but she quieted when the Sheikah shot her a cold look. Although she was taller than Sheik, she was forced to take a step back when the Sheikah walked over to her with an imposing aura. Behind him, Vaati stood up and followed him slowly, his head tilted questioningly.

"Take us to the witches," Sheik said out loud. His cool gaze, however, added a silent, "or else."

The Gerudo gulped. She didn't know too much about the Sheikah aside from the various rumors, and the rumors painted them to be rather dangerous and maybe a little crazy. She didn't want to confirm with her own eyes whether or not those rumors were true. "A-all right," she stuttered, and then walked out of the tent with the two Sheikah following closely behind.

They walked all the way across the camp towards Twinrova's tent with stares following them the entire way there. The Gerudo leading them clutched her spear uncomfortably against her shoulder, while Sheik and Vaati stared straight ahead without so much as glancing at the others who were watching them with suspicion, whispering amongst themselves. When they finally reached the tent, the young woman stepped aside with a troubled grimace while the two walked inside.

The two witches were already waiting for them, perched atop their brooms and peering down at them unimpressed. "Still haven't left yet, hmm?" The fire witch Koume huffed. She waved her hand at the two irritably, and little embers glowed from her fingertips as she shooed them away. "We've told you already, we have nothing left to discuss."

At this, Sheik noticed Vaati flare up angrily just behind him. He saw the sorcerer take a step forward, his hands curled like claws and ready to charge some kind of devastating spell. Sheik held out a hand stopping him. Vaati looked as though he were going to strike Sheik down for stopping him, but then he saw that faint glint in the other's eye as though to ask him for one chance. Vaati scowled, but backed down for the moment.

Sheik exhaled, relieved that Vaati wasn't going to lash out at the witches for now, and then turned to the two witches. He couldn't believe what he was about to say, and two weeks ago he would have been convinced that he'd gone completely insane for suggesting such a thing. At the same time, however, he'd never been more sure of anything he'd ever done in his life. "Twinrova," he said sternly, "Give him his memories back."

Sheik's orders caught everyone in the room off guard. Kotake nearly fell off her broom, while Koume's eyebrows slowly arched into one of skeptical confusion. Beside him, Vaati, too, appeared surprised, and his previous expression of mistrust faded.

Koume zipped towards Sheik, shaking a finger at his face. "Do you know what you're even as-"

"Yes. Give them back," the Sheikah interrupted.

Koume spluttered, opening and closing her mouth like a fish out of water. Her bulging eyes twitched, and her face flushed red as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Hmph, you youngers have no manners…" she muttered contemptuously. Her voice took on a more serious tone, and for a moment it appeared as though the light in the tent dimmed, the shadows extending like clawed fingers. "We won't do what you ask, Sheikah," she snorted, while her twin sister watched them silently with a similarly chilling gaze, "We're not going to undo everything we've worked for. All of our sacrifices would have been in vain if his memory returns, do you understand?"

Sheik remained stubborn. "I'm not leaving until his memories are rightfully returned."

"He'll destroy us all! You, too, will no doubt be the first of his victims for everything you've done. You'd risk your kingdom and your princess for your selfishness? _!_ "

"I've made myself clear, Twinrova."

Fire flared from around Koume as she zipped towards the Sheikah, pointing a finger threateningly towards his unflinching face. " _The Gerudo will declare ourselves enemies to Hyrule if you continue to press this issue, brat!"_ she roared.

Sheik calmly waited for the fire witch to cool down. He waited until he had their full attention, and it was somehow more intimidating than if he'd said anything at all. Eventually, Koume gave him some space, and waited for his response reluctantly, to which Sheik said solemnly, "I made a promise to a friend that I would tell them everything they deserve to know. I've already failed them once." Behind him, a brief look of surprise appeared on Vaati's face at Sheik's words, but the sorcerer remained silent. Sheik continued, his words carrying contained passion and ferocity. "I would rather bring war on the Gerudos than to fail them again."

A heavy silence settled around them, and the tension was thick like the overbearing desert heat. The witches searched the Sheikah's face for a hint of a bluff, but there wasn't any. Kotake's bottom lip quivered, her hand raised as though to strike Sheik down. However, after some time, the corner of her lips curled upwards and she began to chuckle.

Her sister Kotake, who hadn't said a word during the entire exchange, also smiled at the two Sheikah who were looking at them with suspicion. "Well spoken," she snickered, and she floated down to join the fire witch. "Isn't that right, Koume?"

"True indeed, Kotake," Koume grinned. The darkness that had gathered in the corners of the tent dissipated, along with the dangerous aura that had been present before. The fire witch hopped off of her broom, and hobbled over, giving Sheik a playful punch on his arm. "It's nice to see such honest, raw emotion from you, princess of Hyrule." She cackled when she saw the warrior's eyes widen in panicked surprise. "What, you think we didn't know?"

Instinctively, Sheik's hand trailed to his dagger. He was incredibly protective about his alter ego, and his immediate reaction to someone discovering the truth about his identity was to determine how dangerous they were, and to remove them if need be. However, something about the way the witches were grinning at him suggested that they'd probably known for a long time now. His fingers dropped away from his weapon, and he turned away. He couldn't quite explain it, but he almost felt relieved that they knew the truth.

And, for the first time, it felt like he and the Gerudos were talking. _Really_ talking. The Gerudos traditionally didn't get along very well with the Hylians, and he'd never been able to figure out the reason why. Whenever he, or rather Zelda, had attempted to pursue peaceful negotiations regarding Gerudo conflicts, she'd always left with a fragile compromise where neither party was left satisfied. Talking to the Gerudos had always been like trying to weed bomb plants; the same problems always came back, and discussions always ended explosively.

The witches seemed to notice this change from their usual confrontations, too. "You Hylians rarely ever say what you're really thinking, always afraid to step on other people's toes," Kotake explained, "The Gerudos were never fond of your so-called politics."

Koume followed, "We're a people of strength and passion. We are not afraid to let our opinions known, and to butt heads from time to time. But you? You fear anger and confrontation, because you think that's what leads to war. You think it's better to resolve things alone, and in the shadows, than to have to face anger and disagreements. And do you know what your people call us?"

"A race of Thieves, as though _we_ are the dishonest ones," Kotake scoffed, and her sister continued.

"Your ancestors tricked us to live in this barren desert, and now you go about your lives having forgotten that you exiled us. For the first time, however, you came to confront us like a true ruler should. Perhaps the Gerudos and the Hylians have a future together after all." Koume chuckled to herself, and gave Sheik a small wink. The Sheikah didn't say a word in response and his face was buried further behind the cloth around his neck, but the edges of his eyes were soft and contemplative. He looked up when Kotake also dropped down from her broom, joining them.

She rubbed the side of her crooked nose with a smile. "You weren't bluffing earlier, were you…? You meant to fight all of our warriors here." Her smile widened when Sheik gave a single nod, and she waved her broomstick towards Vaati who'd been watching the entire exchange blankly. "You there," she said, and he looked up. "You pick your friends well."

Vaati opened his mouth to object, shooting a small, half-hearted scowl at Sheik, but Kotake shushed him with a knowing wink. "Fine. I don't think we can stop the two of you even if we wanted to. We'll give you what you want, but promise us this," she walked up to Sheik, bringing her sun darkened face closer to his. "Promise us that when this is over, you'll give us a place where the winds aren't harsh, and the trades are fair."

"I promise," Sheik answered.

The witches smiled in approval, but it was short-lived, for they immediately turned their attention back towards Vaati with a frown. Koume pushed past Sheik and eyed the sorcerer up and down. She shook her head somewhat disapprovingly, before she asked, "Now then. Is this truly what you want? You may remember things that you may later regret."

Vaati's response was immediate and firm. "You know my answer."

She returned a solemn nod, knowing his answer before he'd spoken. She and her sister waved for him to follow towards the back of the tent, near the boxes and crates that were being used as a makeshift desk and the piles of bags and chests filled with odds and ends. The fire witch dug up a wooden totem from one of the chests, carved with the symbol of an eye that was eerily similar to the Sheikah insignia. "Come here," she said.

Vaati's vision began to blur black on the edges even as he looked at the totem. He glanced over at the other Sheikah standing next to him pensively. He was admittedly still upset over Sheik's betrayal, but he no longer glared at him the way he had back at the Desert Temple. It was a brief exchange when Sheik noticed the sorcerer looking at him; apology and gratitude was shared for a fraction of a moment. Both were aware that this could be the last time they looked at each other as friends, broken and barely mended.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was underwhelming.

Or, maybe it really wasn't, but he'd spent so much time thinking about how life-changing and important this was going to be that he'd set himself up for disappointment.

But, what had he expected? Some rush of new insight? New emotions?

 _Vaati. Who was he? Who am I?_

The memories came back, one at a time, somewhat in order from what he could tell but sometimes vague and missing details. For some he thought he could feel that they were truly his, and yet others it felt like he was watching someone else's life play out in front of him, like he was a bystander who was observing someone from behind a window.

One series of memories he didn't understand was, surprisingly, his earlier ones. He remembered that his hands had once been paw-like, and that he'd run around barefooted with his feet that were more like a mouse's than a human's.

His nose wiggled and twitched irritably at another mousey creature who waved a carved cane at him. The other, elderly creature pointed to something in a dusty tome as he brushed away his lengthy whiskers.

 _Minish_ , Vaati thought. _Ez..lo?_

Disgust filled his chest as he remembered the name of his once-mentor, mixed with surprise at learning that the fairytale creatures were, in fact, real. The Minish were a mythical race no taller than a person's thumb, and it was said that they secretly helped the Hylians but could only be seen by children. They were real. He'd been one of them.

A gut reaction. _No. That wasn't me. That was never me._

Those memories ended abruptly, as though his mind reflexively shut down all associations of his past as a Minish. They became buried somewhere out of the reach of his thoughts so that he could no longer retrieve details of this part of him. The only thing that remained were the raw emotions of anger. Betrayal. Hate.

He couldn't bring himself to remember what had happened, then, but he could feel the sting of betrayal and the anger that boiled beneath his skin when he thought about the elderly sage. His mentor. Ezlo. _You lied to me._

About what? Broken promises.

He remembered something about relying on himself. He could be great. He would be the greatest. And those idiots with their dead end lives would continue to serve the Hylians foolishly, while he alone climbed above them all. Above the Minish. Above the Hylians. Above the Gods.

These were the memories that he could understand, and yet at the same time he could not. They had happened so long ago, thousands of years ago, and he was just now looking at the memories again like they were someone else's. He could rationalize why Vaati may have tried to take over Hyrule, but that was all it was. He was only filling in the holes to the story that he'd already heard from other people, but he still didn't truly understand why he'd gone and done all of the things he'd had.

Maybe Vaati had never really, truly known why he'd wanted to conquer Hyrule. Maybe the only thing that had driven him had been the all-consuming rage which had continued to boil and burn as time went on, an anger that had become so powerful that it superseded any rational reason.

Ah, yes. He remembered the anger. All different kinds of anger. There was anger that was like a roaring hurricane, one that destroyed everything in its path. There was anger that was the slow burn of coals but as hot as glowing steel. There was anger that was like the heavy rain in a thunderstorm.

He remembered the endless white of being trapped. Sealed. He remembered the minutes, hours, years, _centuries_ that had passed in a white, empty void, during which time he'd held on to the anger. It kept him focused. It kept him from going completely insane. Or had it made him insane? He didn't know. He couldn't tell. He just held on to the anger.

And then came the more recent memories. He could still feel that constant anger that had been nurtured and aged like a sophisticated wine, and he remembered that it was something that had driven nearly everything he'd done.

A face. A crooked smirk. Shadow Link. He could see the bright blue eyes look up at him with a mix of adoration, disgust, and fear. He remembered kicking him across the face, and a rush of amusement from feeling the power he held over his servant. Shadow's scowl didn't last long as he summoned a gust that slammed the doppelganger against the cold floor, and the magic choked him until he had Shadow begging for forgiveness.

A face. Or rather, a murky shadow with an eye. Dethl. He remembered the shadow following him around like an eager puppy. He sneered as he taunted the Nightmare that they would never be anything real. He'd beat the Nightmare in their own world. Dethl hadn't been able to handle his anger.

A face. A dainty nose wrinkled into a snarl. Zelda. She had an impressive army behind her, and he felt that thrilled rush again as he thought about how she had brought out her entire force just for him. The sky was painted red from the fire and grey from the ash. His lips pulled back into a wolfish grin as he flicked his cape behind him and the wind began to howl. He remembered seeing a bright flash of light as she summoned her holy bow, and he remembered how she'd pulled back on the string calmly while soldiers fell beside her, trying to protect their princess. Their eyes met. She looked at him with disgust, but also with… pity. Pity, perhaps, that someone like him existed.

Someone who'd been left with nothing but anger.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The darkness left him as Vaati opened his eyes again and his vision returned. He was still in the tent where he'd last remembered before he'd blacked out, but Twinrova was nowhere to be found. Night had fallen completely, suggesting that he'd been out for some time, and someone had laid him down across a blanket.

He curled his fingers into a fist, stretching his muscles. As he did so, he noticed a pair of red eyes looking at him just by his side.

Sheik was sitting next to him, resting his head against his knees with his hands wrapped around his legs. The Sheikah lifted his head when he saw that the sorcerer had woken up.

The edges of Vaati's eyes twitched as red stared into red. The anger he'd forgotten, the anger that had always been with him, surfaced once again. It was the anger that had once driven him to the top, the anger that was truly his, and the anger that defined who Vaati was.

He suddenly pushed himself off the ground, sitting up and launching himself towards Sheik. He slammed the startled Sheikah against the wooden beam of the tent nearby, his left hand digging into Sheik's shoulders, pinning him. His lips were pulled back into a snarl, their faces so close that their noses were almost touching.

A face. A pair of angled red eyes that watched him calmly. Sheik… or was it Zelda? There was that same look of pity he'd seen once before, in a field with blood painted sky. The cloth over Sheik's face hid his small smile. It was without fear, and only acceptance. For a moment, Vaati pulled back a little, caught off guard by the smile. A recent memory surfaced, and the voice of Twinrova echoed in his head. _Some things cannot be forgiven, and yet your friend here tried to see past that and trust you._

The anger burned, but it faltered like a flickering flame.

Sheik spoke in a low, barely audible voice. His breath brushed against Vaati's lips. "I meant it when I said that I choose to trust you. I may have been dishonest, but I'll stand by those words until the day I die."

The flame flickered even more. Another memory surfaced, and he remembered sitting against the shade of Hyrule's castle walls with Sheik after a day of training. Sheik had held out his hand, curled into a fist, and had asked Vaati to do the same. Vaati had raised a skeptical brow, but had decided to humor him. Their fists bumped against each other, ending with a handshake. He remembered a warmth, one that was different from the fire that had twisted and shriveled his heart into blackened coals. _It means that I choose to trust you. It means that I am sorry._

Sheik continued. "What I did to you was wrong, but… I don't regret it. You're my friend, Vaati, and I can't regret the days that wouldn't have happened without it. It's selfish, isn't it?"

 _I came here to vent because I couldn't bother anyone else with it. It's selfish, isn't it?_ Another memory, this time he was sitting on a bed next to a young woman in an elegant dress. The princess had surprised him by showing up at his door in the middle of the night, distressed and in need of company. He remembered how comfortable he'd felt around her even though it had been the first time they'd met, although now he knew that the reason had been because he'd known her all along, although with a different name. He remembered her apologizing through her tears about what she had done, and how she'd cried herself to sleep on his shoulders. The truth had been only a few words away, then.

Boldly, Sheik brought a hand up and gently but firmly curled his fingers around the other's shoulder. "You're one of the only friends I've ever had."

He remembered laughter. The jokes and jabs they exchanged while Impa hurried them along back to the castle after their recent escapade. The sun hit their backs as they hopped from one roof to another, and promised each other that next time they wouldn't be caught by the older Sheikah.

Sheik pulled him closer, and their foreheads touched, forcing Vaati to really look at him. "You can take away my kingdom, but don't take that away from me."

The memories ended, and he was back, crouched over Sheik as he held him against a beam. Vaati blinked. For some time now, his snarl had disappeared. The fire of his anger was still hot, but it was no longer so powerful that it was the only thing that defined him. It flickered, reminding him that it was still there, but there was a different fire that engulfed it.

He pulled away, his eyes narrowed somewhat as he stared at the Sheikah who waited for him, fearless.

Vaati shook his head, a tiny smile on his face. The voice of anger rose for a moment, but he drowned it out. _You fool…_ it had said bitterly. Instead, he dropped his hands to his sides and chuckled. "And that… was the third time you were honest with me."

* * *

fleets: erm, I don't know where to start. Oh, the totem that I mention in this chapter was based off of the totem in Twilight Princess that helps Ilia get her memories back :) (it looks suspiciously Sheikah, too).  
Umm, what else. Not much else. This chapter was tricky! I might rewrite it at some point. Eventually.

 **RayHollows:** Yesssss that's exactly the feeling! I'm only familiar with the Oracles Koume/Kotake, and in those games I kind of figured that they went a little nuts because they lost their boy Ganondorf. Actually when I initially outlined this story in its very, very rough stages, I had them be extremely evil and conniving, but I ended up preferring them to fit the role they do now much better (also I know Majora's Mask Twinrova is different from OoT Twinrova since Termina is a little wonky, but I read their quotes on the wiki and they were kind of adorable there haha).  
YOU HAVE GOOD IDEAS FRIEND

 **Ai Star:** Vaati might be Vaati, but he was Fuu at some point in time ;) He might have a conscience now

 **AquilaMage:** I agree! It was pretty surprising though! Having three favorites though, I don't know if my heart can handle it. Too many feelsing, yeah?  
Ahh thank you I'm glad you liked that scene! It really does make an author really happy when they hear that their stories could get an emotional reaction from their readers :)

 **Lord Siravant:** They're tricky witches ;) I might have changed them up quite a bit from canon, especially with this chapter, but they were inspired by WW Ganon and his speech about being envious of Hyrule (man, that was such a great game...). Ah, Vaati. Maybe he's learned that there's more to life than being a rage ball.

 **fanakatsuki:** He's the cutest villain! :D

 **Cattycheeno:** Well to be fair, what Sheik did to him was a low blow. It seems like he's finally able to admit that he'd also been awful to Sheik, too. ;)

 **Arridu:** Hi there! Always nice to see a new face, thank you again for your message! :) And oof you're right, I didn't really talk about Shadow in this chapter, but let's just say that he's not having a great fun time up there...


	23. Second Chances

fleets: i struggled writing this especially after that emotional puncher of a chapter that was ch. 22.

Oh! Also! **Serpent Tailed Angel** pointed out a few things that needed fixing in the last chapter (e.g. you don't fall with a 'light' thud when you go unconscious - I giggled at that one after seeing my brain fart there) and also did a very minor but I think significant edit to Sheik's rather morbid thought that he should go stab happy on anyone who found out that Sheik = Zelda. It throws a bit of a wrench in my upcoming plans for this world so it had to be fixed (made him _conditionally_ stab happy, heh). Thank you for catching these STA!

With that said, please don't be afraid to let me know if you notice something 'off' in the story. If I agree with you, and it's something that will throw off future chapters, I will most likely try to go back and change it. :) My editing is admittedly horrible.

I've also posted fanart for a particular scene in this chapter on my tumblr page (under 'demonbound sheikah' and 'fleets sketches' tags).

* * *

 **Chapter 23: Second Chances**

Vaati was back. The sorcerer whose name inspired horror and fear was back, and it was all because of him.

Sheik smiled to himself, shaking his head a little in disbelief at what he'd done. A few weeks ago, he would have been willing to strike down anyone who even so much as suggested returning Vaati's memories, and yet here he was having successfully argued against Twinrova to do exactly the thing he'd been fighting against.

It was funny how things change. _It's funny how people change_.

Sheik rested his head against the beam, relieved that somehow, Vaati seemed willing to forgive him for altering his memories. The tension in his shoulders left him and he leaned his weight against the beam. He watched Vaati with curiosity now, while the sorcerer was sitting across from him with his arms crossed, staring at the ground lost in thought. Even though Vaati was, for lack of a better word, 'back,' he was nothing at all like the person Sheik had known before they had rewritten his memories. He didn't doubt that Twinrova followed through on their end of the deal; the Vaati in front of him had all of his memories back, and yet he wasn't the same as he'd once been.

The old Vaati had been wrath incarnate. Sheik had never seen another individual with the kind of hate that Vaati carried, as though the world had wronged him somehow and he was out to punish it, dig his heel into it and crush it. The old Vaati hadn't had a shred of humanity in him.

The Vaati in front of him now wasn't the old Vaati, but neither was he 'Fuu.' Fuu was gone. He'd lost that bright-eyed, hopeful expression of Fuu, and his optimism was now replaced with cold cynicism. Sheik could still see a small fire of anger behind those piercing red eyes, but it was nothing like what it had once been with the Wind Mage. The fire didn't burn as hotly. It was subdued. Controlled.

And although the sorcerer brooding in front of him was someone different than the person that Sheik had come to know in the past few weeks, there was still that sense of familiarity that could only be felt between, well, friends. It wasn't unlike that time when he'd spoken to the mage as Zelda rather than Sheik.

"I can only imagine what you were doing out in the desert," Vaati finally said after some time. He sounded more aged, like someone who had seen the rise and fall of kingdoms past. The sorcerer rubbed his fingers together absentmindedly, still gazing at the ground. "I suppose I'll hazard a guess that you need my help to destroy Dethl."

To a stranger, Vaati's leaden tone would have been intimidating. However, Sheik had been around the sorcerer for long enough to know that he was only masking his confusion. He could tell from the way the sorcerer's right brow scrunched slightly towards the center, and how he bit his bottom lip just enough so that it looked like the beginnings of a scowl; Fuu had made the same exact expression whenever he'd been confused by something.

Vaati sighed, resting his cheek against his hand, struggling with words. He turned his head away, and grumbled in what could only be described as embarrassment. It was kind of endearing. "You know, you have the poorest taste in… friends." Before Sheik could say anything, Vaati stood up abruptly, brushing himself off like he'd gotten something unpleasant on his skin. "Fine. Let's go and have a chat with Dethl."

Sheik grinned, and then chuckled at Vaati's struggle to deal with feelings other than uncontained rage. He figured he wouldn't mention that the sorcerer's ears were red. Instead, he decided to spare him, and steered the conversation to something less awkward and perhaps more important, "Can Dethl really be defeated?"

"Dethl doesn't frighten me," Vaati shrugged. He finally looked at Sheik again, grateful that they were discussing something other than feelings and things that were too emotional for his liking. "They're not powerful at all."

"I knew you were arrogant before but…" Sheik trailed off, skeptical of the mage.

At this, Vaati grinned in a way that was reminiscent to Fuu's snarky little smiles. At the same time, he walked over with a bit of swagger that was more like the Sorcerer of Winds. "You think I broke the mirror because I was, what, _scared_ of Dethl?" He threw his head back and laughed. It was a devious laugh, but one that was without the harsh edges of the old Sorcerer of Winds. It was comfortingly familiar, and Vaati's confidence was a welcome glimmer of hope in what Sheik had thought to be a hopeless situation.

How empowering it was for them to be on the same side again.

Vaati huffed, an amused grin partially hidden by the cloth over his face. "I broke the mirror because Dethl and Shadow Link were _annoying_. A fully completed Dark Mirror can spawn hundreds of them at a time, and if you can just imagine the headache that could cause…"

As welcome as Vaati's confidence was, Sheik had trouble shaking the reality of what he'd seen at the Palace of Winds. He'd seen the full power of Dethl, Shadow Link shaking in fear as another copy of him was tossed aside, disfigured beyond recognition. He'd seen Dethl create copies of themselves just as Vaati described, and remembered Shadow Link's last moments as he pushed him into the warp rift.

Sheik's fingers curled into a fist, and then he pushed himself up onto his feet. His eyes searched Vaati's self-assured expression carefully. He wanted to believe in the confidence, but he also remembered how mistaken Vaati had been about his own abilities when Sheik himself had beat him during training. "I've seen what that Mirror can do, Vaati. It's dangerous. How can we possibly defeat hundreds of Dethl?"

Vaati's response was as flippant as Sheik had expected it to be. "Easy," Vaati waved a hand lazily. "Just remember to dodge and don't touch Dethl. You're pretty decent at dodging, so you'll do fine."

"I'm still not entirely convinced… I've seen what they could do."

"I doubt it."

Vaati's words cut through the air like a knife, and it reminded Sheik just how dangerous the sorcerer could be to those he called enemies. It was another difference between this new Vaati and Fuu: Fuu was insecure about himself and his abilities, but Vaati was grounded in knowing what he was capable of. Vaati spoke with knowledge of experience, something that Fuu didn't have. The sorcerer's voice made Sheik freeze, and the Sheikah raised his head, cautiously eager to find out if Vaati could convince him that Dethl could be beaten.

"Tell me," Vaati asked quietly, a sneer playing on his lips, "have you actually tried to fight them yourself yet?"

"No, but Shadow Link-" Sheik answered, but was cut off abruptly by the sorcerer who held up a single, thin finger.

"Shadow's always been afraid of Dethl. That's how the Nightmare beats you. They inspire fear so that you can no longer fight. _Really_ fight," Vaati dismissed him. "Tell me, what happens when you face your fears?"

Sheik's stiff expression softened when he realized what Vaati was saying. _You beat them,_ he thought to himself, and the answer seemed so simple that for a moment he was afraid that there was still something they weren't accounting for. Vaati's confidence was dangerously infectious; he had a way of saying things with the just the right tone, just the right inflection, to naturally convince his audience to listen to him. It was so infectious that Vaati could have said something completely insane and Sheik would have been led to believe that it was true. While this had been one of Vaati's more fearsome characteristics when they'd been enemies, it was strangely invigorating now that they were on the same side.

Vaati shrugged with a smile. "You see? There's your answer on how to defeat Dethl."

"And you, you aren't afraid?" Sheik asked, still cautious about being optimistic so soon. As characteristic of most dreams, he couldn't remember the details of the nightmare he'd been trapped in as Zelda. However, he had a vague recollection that he'd been paralyzed in fear, and it had only been with the help of Shadow Link that he'd managed to escape. Sheik didn't scare easily, and yet Dethl had managed to give him pause with little trouble.

"You don't know fear when you know anger," the sorcerer's expression darkened with menace. However, it only lasted momentarily and he seemed somewhat surprised by it. The anger was diminished. He wasn't the same. He walked over to the pile of boxes and crates pushed near the edge of the tent, and he picked up the wooden totem that had been the key to returning his memories. He ran a finger along the carving of an eye with a tear, the symbol that had bound his identity with that of the Sheikah. Vaati bit his cheek again, his face resting in that same, confused expression that he'd worn a few minutes ago. "Although, it's not the same anymore. I'm not…" he trailed off, and his grip on the totem tightened. Then, he turned abruptly towards Sheik. "But that's why you're coming with me."

Sheik nodded. He'd intended to go back to the Palace of Winds all along. However, they still didn't have a clear plan other than Vaati's blind insistence that defeating Dethl wasn't a problem at all, and he couldn't help but be uneasy.

A hand rested on his shoulder. He flinched from the touch at first, as it had been unexpected. Then, his gaze was met with that fearless assurance that could convince even the most temperamental armies to follow, and he became composed once again. It was a look that guaranteed that nothing, _nothing,_ could stop them.

"Don't worry," Vaati said quietly, "I'll handle Dethl and Shadow Link. It's not like this is the first time."

"Wait!" Sheik suddenly exclaimed, pulling away from Vaati's hand. "About Shadow… I don't want you to hurt him."

The sorcerer raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"I wouldn't have escaped without his help. He's still fighting up there. He's…" Sheik turned away. _I left him._ He took a deep breath. "I want to save him."

At this, Vaati's brows raised even higher in surprise. "After everything he's done you still-" he began, and then he trailed off. His shoulders shook a little as he chuckled. "Heh. Of course you'd want to save him."

"Plea-"

Vaati shushed him. His fingers flicked towards his daggers with lightning speed, and there was a loud clang as metal hit metal. Vaati's smile widened when he saw that Sheik had brought his own dagger up to block his attack with his superior reflexes. Sheik narrowed his eyes a little, watching him questioningly. Though the two had daggers pointed at each other's throats, there was no antagonism between them - this was nothing more than dialogue. "He's my responsibility," Vaati said eventually, repeating what he'd said once before when the two had armed blades against each other.

Vaati flipped his dagger, twisting Sheik's out of his grip causing it to fly into the air. He caught it as it fell, and then twirled it in his palms before offering it back to Sheik. "If anyone hurts him, they answer to _me_."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Night had fallen when they left for the Palace of Winds. It worked in their favor, as the night would shield them from anyone who might catch a glimpse of them in the sky.

The two of them had made their way about a mile out from the Gerudo camps in order to avoid causing a commotion amongst the Gerudos when they took to the skies. Sheik should have been nervous, considering he was alone with an infamous wind mage and they were going to confront Nightmare Incarnate, but he was strangely calm.

A lot of things had gone unspoken in their brief conversation back at the Gerudo camp, but there had been no need for words. Both had, at first, struggled a little on what their relationship was now. Were they enemies? Friends? Vaati had struggled with this more so than Sheik, from the way the sorcerer had actively tried to avoid any conversation relating to this matter.

However, the conflict had been brief, especially after Vaati's small yet significant admission that, despite all of his pompous declarations that the Nightmare was simple to defeat, he couldn't face Dethl alone. Sheik could sympathize; after all, he'd learned that the two of them might not have been so different from each other after all. Both stood at the summit of their respective dominions, a lonely place only people like them could ever understand. It was an often friendless place, where they were regularly expected to shoulder problems alone because no one else could handle the burden.

Somehow, however, they'd found in each other something that had been so rare from their respective thrones; someone that _could_ shoulder their burdens. This realization didn't need to be spoken aloud. It was simply understood.

Vaati cracked his knuckles, warming up his fingers before summoning the winds that would take them to the floating palace. The soft glow from the full moon revealed a somewhat awkward frown on the sorcerer's face before he finally grumbled, rolled his eyes, and stuck out a stiff arm for Sheik to take. The sorcerer's frown deepened when Sheik smiled and held out a fist instead, and then it was replaced by a small smirk of his own when he recognized what it was. He glanced down at his own hand for a few seconds, curling his fingers experimentally. He hesitated briefly, and then lightly bumped his fist with Sheik's before they took each other's hands. The wind picked up into a roar, and Sheik felt himself lifted into the sky, and within seconds the Gerudo camp was but a small dot of pale orange glow in the abyssal desert night.

There was something about flying that melted away all troubles and fears. Maybe it had something to do with the vastness of the sky and the shrinking landscape below that made it seem like nothing else mattered except the wind on one's face. Sheik would have liked to admire the stars that flickered in and out of view from the clouds they passed, but his eye caught sight of their destination. The Palace of Winds was a dark silhouette against the clouds that swirled around it, inspiring a haunting dread.

Dethl was there, and Shadow Link…

Sheik hoped he wasn't too late.

The Palace was eerily empty when they arrived on one of its many terraces. It was deathly quiet save for the occasional forlorn wail of the wind rushing through the palaces halls. As empty as it was, there were still signs that a fight had passed through here, as the once white floors and walls were smeared with blood. In some spots it looked like something had been dragged along the surface, bloody brushstrokes painted by a broken body.

Sheik brought a hand up to his face, trying to force down the sick feeling in his stomach, while Vaati's eyes narrowed into a dangerous glare. The sorcerer followed the bloodstains down towards an arched skyway that led deeper into the palace, his expression becoming more enraged the farther he walked. Wary, Sheik made his way after the sorcerer slowly, being careful to check the shadowed corners and turns for any sign of Dethl or Shadow Link. Although the moon reflected the white stone with a ghostly soft glow, the night was heavy, and there were plenty of places where his eyes couldn't see past the darkness. Eventually, the Sheikah stopped when he sensed that they were being watched.

Sheik crouched low, his hands darting towards the daggers strapped against his thighs. His gazed locked towards a nook in the walls nearby. Without warning, Sheik vanished from where he'd been and teleported into the dark corner he'd been eyeing moments before, and he thrust his dagger hand forward to strike the one who'd been watching them.

His hands froze. There was a person in front of him, and though they'd lost that playfully wicked glint, Sheik recognized those blue eyes. "Shadow?" he whispered, letting his hands fall against his sides.

The other boy blinked, the hands that he'd brought up to defend himself with tremored unsteadily. Aside from a small cut that notched his right ear, Shadow Link appeared physically fine, but his gaze was erratic and he looked about ready to bolt.

"Shadow, it's me," Sheik reached out to him, but stopped when Shadow Link shrunk away nervously. Sheik frowned, concerned. There was something very wrong with this Shadow Link; he didn't talk as much, in fact he hadn't said a single word yet, and he looked like he was using every bit of effort not to fall into pieces. While he was physically fine, Shadow had been destroyed mentally. "Nayru, I'm so sorry Shadow," Sheik murmured, lowering his hand helplessly.

"Sheik…?"

Sheik whirled around at the hesitant voice that addressed him. Behind him, there was another person who tottered towards him in a daze. Though he recognized that familiar pointed hat with its ends curled mischievously, he had trouble recognizing the beaten individual underneath. This Shadow, too, appeared battered, though not as broken as the first.

Shadow walked into view, and his voice was hoarse in disbelief. "Sheik!" he exclaimed. He opened his mouth to say something, but he was so overcome with emotion that he had to stop and steady himself against the wall. When he finally spoke again, his voice cracked and he rubbed his eyes, the remnants of his pride trying to hide the tears. "You… you came back for me…" he choked.

"I promised, didn't I?" Sheik smiled, and he let Shadow fall into his outstretched arms. He could feel Shadow shaking as he clung to him, as though afraid that this, too, was another trick by the Nightmare to give him false hope.

There was a sharp movement, and Sheik and the second Shadow looked up to see that the notched-ear one had suddenly backed away from someone approaching them. Vaati had returned to see what Sheik was up to, and he'd warped a couple of feet away from where they were gathered. The second Shadow let go of Sheik abruptly, and then alternated his gaze between the sorcerer and the Sheikah in surprise. "You got him to help?" he finally asked incredulously.

Before Sheik could say anything to explain, Vaati strode over and grabbed Shadow roughly by the collar, bringing him towards his face threateningly. Sheik began to protest but Vaati shot him down with a chilling glare that gave the sorcerer just enough time to address Shadow Link. "Didn't I tell you to _not disappoint me, Shadow?_ " Vaati said with an undertone of a threat.

Shadow Link paled under his grip, remembering Fuu's orders on that day when the amnesiac sorcerer had defended him from Sheik. However, there was something in Vaati's tone that suggested that the person who held him by his neck was not the same person as the one he'd jokingly called 'the cooler Master Vaati.' Panic set in when Shadow Link realized that he'd seen that ruthless cold glint in Vaati's eyes before. "Master Vaati," he murmured in fascinated horror.

Shadow closed his eyes, waiting for some kind of punishment. Would it be a beating? Lashing? Starvation? Choking? He held on to the small comfort that whatever his master could do, he'd already endured it and ten times worse with Dethl.

As long as he waited, however, the punishment never came. He dared to open his eyes just a sliver to see what Vaati was waiting for, and then opened them wider when he saw to his shock that Vaati was on the verge of cracking up. Shadow dropped on to the ground, stunned, when Vaati released his hold while chuckling.

"Good work getting Sheik out of here."

Shadow stared at Vaati blankly, and then turned to Sheik who only smiled and shrugged. He wasn't going to be punished? Wasn't this… wasn't this Master Vaati? He'd recognized that chilling gaze that had been missing when his old master had been Fuu, and had been convinced that this time, his master had truly returned.

"Get up," Vaati nodded his head towards the structures past the walkway. "We've wasted enough time. I have a bone to pick with Dethl."

That… that was definitely Master Vaati. At the same time, though, he was different. He couldn't quite pinpoint what it was that was different, but whatever it was, it was… nice. Shadow stood up and crossed his arms over his chest. "Y-you scared me," he grumbled, and then added with a small smile, "though I guess I deserved it." There was a visible release of nerves as Shadow straightened up, his chin held a little higher and his eyes glinting a little brighter. Master Vaati could end this. They could win. His old cheeky grin returned, and he walked over towards the notched-ear Shadow Link who'd been watching the entire exchange a few feet away, his back pressed timidly against the wall as though to hide.

"C'mere, we'll get through this together," he said, and gently led his other copy towards the group. Sheik tilted his head as though wondering what had happened to make this Shadow so skittish. "He's been through a lot. I mean, I guess we all have, but he's been through more than most," Shadow Link explained when he noticed Sheik's questioning look. Shadow bit his lip, hanging his head. "The two of us were hiding here before you guys showed up. To be honest, I think… I think we might be the only ones left."

"Shadow, I-" Sheik began, but he stopped when the notched-ear Shadow shuffled over, and grasped his hands tightly with both hands.

The dark haired youth's gaze was angled downwards, and he sounded scared by the sound of his own voice, but through great effort he managed to mutter, "Don't."

Even though the notched-ear Shadow didn't say anything more, Sheik understood what it was that he wanted to say. _Don't apologize._ Sheik's expression softened, and he slowly turned his head back towards Vaati who was waiting impatiently for them to get going. Sheik reached over and, grabbing Vaati's wrist, dragged him over towards them.

"Hey, what-" Vaati protested, but then quieted when his hand was placed over Shadow's. The remaining Shadow Link hopped over and enthusiastically placed his hands over the pile as well.

The notch-eared Shadow finally raised his head, his eyes meeting the others' for the first time. Sheik nodded slowly.

"This time, we'll all leave this place together."

* * *

fleets: (cackles) I cannot explain how much amusement it brought me when I heard that you guys thought Vaati broke the mirror because Dethl was too nuts for him!

MY BROT3(4?) IS BACK.

I'd like to take a moment and mention that there's a shippy version of chapter 22/23 that was posted by 'ofshadowsandsands' on tumblr (i've also reposted on my own page 'thewishingcap' with the tag 'art for fleets' if you want to find it). I, for reasons only I am allowed to know right now, am trying very, very hard to slam the brakes down on a particular ship (it's kind of slipping at certain points though cough-theflightscenegotprettyclose-coughcough). What ship? VaaSheik. Why? Because I am utter garbage for this ship and I have big plans for it, which cannot involve this ship to sail too fast. Did I want the last chapter to become shippy? HELL YES. But I couldn't. Because secret (kind of) reasons.

Good thing I have friends who can do what I can't, ey? :D Long story short, check out their version especially if you're in the same shipping trash basket that we're in.

Pheew. Ionno why, but this chapter was mentally draining. Thank you everyone for your support, it means a lot! We're going to be done with this story in 2 more chapters :)

 **fanakatsuki:** I'm glad you liked it! It was one of the big scenes that I'd been waiting to write for a while now, and I was super nervous to get it right :)

 **Kira Akuma:** Ahhh thank you so much! Oof, I hope I didn't push my Dethl horror interpretation too far?

 **Ai Star:** I'm a sucker for forgiveness arcs. I think Vaati's open to that idea now :)

 **SubZeroChimera:** Very astute of you, I think you caught on to where I was going with that in this chapter ;)

 **Cattycheeno:** Glad to be of service! I'd say a bit of both: he has a lot of years behind him, and when you have that many things to remember (not all of them pleasant, and most of them during times when you were just a little bit loony from being stuck for thousands of years in an empty void) I imagine it'd be difficult to remember things clearly except for the general gist of the memories.  
Good question! A few really awesome readers brought me up to speed about gender fluid individuals, and that's currently how I'm characterizing Zelda/Sheik :) They're the same person, but Sheik represents a male persona that 'Zelda' prefers in certain days/situations/etc. and the Sheik character prefers entirely male pronouns. The same can be said of the 'Zelda' persona, except she prefers female pronouns. It's not that they have a 'split personality,' no, because that's not quite it (whispers) I'm pretty sure I'm butchering this explanation but some others who are more familiar with gender fluidity can explain this better than i can...

 **Reily96:** (tries to squish faces together with you) IT'S NOT WORKING? Plot devices too strong. But I'm right there with ya I can't tell you how much I just want to see their faces smushed together ya feel?  
Erm... I'm pretty sure I remember Poe cackling as he (urf) pulls someone's insides to the, um, outside... while they're still... alive. that's not evil? D:  
OH U STAHP i'm getting all embarrassed! But oy you've seen me at my worst (yeuch those first stories i posted oy) and you're still around, you inspired me to write and post stuff and to top it all off you were my first reviewer (coincidentally!)! I can't thank you enough? _!_ FANFIC WOULDN'T BE THE SAME WITHOUT YOU (BAWLS)

 **Serpent Tailed Angel:** Thank youuuu for pointing those out! I wouldn't have noticed unless you said anything, and one of those really affects the believability of upcoming scenarios so really. Truly. Thank you!

 **Lord Siravant:** I guess it's more accurate to say that the Majora's Mask version of Twinrova influenced me more in this story (this story doesn't really follow any logical time line. It truly is an AU). I admit I initially _did_ have plans for Twinrova to be double crossing evil witches who wanted to use the Dark Mirror to resurrect Ganon, but I discarded that idea when the plot started sounding extremely unoriginal... (rehash of FSA anyone?). Dethl doesn't get enough credit as is, so I wanted them to be the big bad this time without having their limelight stolen :)

 **Vesperupus:** (frantic hand flailing) Thank you so much for your continued support I wish I had more words to describe my gratitude because you've been with me for so long and you gave me so much wonderful encouragement ;w;

 **AquilaMage:** Ahhhhh thank you so much that means a lot to me ;u; Vaati has been such a special character for me because I've, well, I've written about his character in so many different situations for so many years... I don't really know what I'm trying to say here except that your review was really touching and I'm so so so happy you enjoy how I characterize him!

 **dicaxasinus:** (waves) hi there, and welcome to the story! It's always a pleasant surprise to hear from new readers :D  
I'm so so happy to hear that you enjoy my characterizations! Shadow was/is a fun one, and he's evolved quite a bit from where I started out with him (he was inspired by FSA manga Shadow, though he's not the same in that he hasn't experienced the manga story line... if that makes sense). Feeling a bit guilty now on what I made him go through, whoopsidoodles. Also I'm happy you like Vaati's development so far! He's given me trouble on a few occasions (like this chapter) but I can't wait to show everyone where I'm going to take this.


	24. Shattered

fleets: to be honest I was going to hold out on submitting this chapter until I finished Ch. 25 and 26, but a reader convinced me to post this one and let you all suffer while you wait for Ch. 25 :P  
I think you guys can handle it.

Also a HUUUGE thank you to those of you who helped me through a tough time in writing? All of the comments/advice and just general encouragement really helped me through a rather awful downer I was having for no rational reason. I don't know what came over me, but now I feel a whole lot better and I'm _finally_ done with this chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter 24: Shattered**

"So do we actually have a plan?" Sheik asked as the four of them made their way around the Palace of Winds. "And where is Dethl? I would have expected them to show up by now." Indeed, the Nightmare was still nowhere to be found, although from time to time Sheik imagined seeing a strange flicker in the dark corners of the walls just barely out of sight, and could hear the faint taps of something stalking them though they were so quiet that he second guessed himself.

Vaati confirmed Sheik's suspicions that they were being followed, perhaps since the moment they'd first set foot on the Palace of Winds. "Dethl's here, following us. They won't show up until they've created enough 'atmosphere.'" The sorcerer shrugged, "The thing to remember about Dethl is that they completely depend on the _feeling_ of a threat, because they're not very powerful at all."

At this, the other three exchanged uneasy glances, not entirely convinced by the sorcerer's claim. After all, the three of them had lived through Dethl's nightmare, and had barely survived it. The fear, the threat, the danger… all of them had been very, very real. Vaati looked over his shoulder when he noticed that the others had slowed down a little from the uncertainty of the situation. He smirked. "I'd like it if you had more faith in me. Have you all forgotten what I'm capable of?" Then, he huffed when he saw Sheik looking at him flatly. "I'm not so foolish to come here without a plan, Sheik."

"And that plan is?" Sheik asked.

Vaati pushed open the doors to a large open chamber with several floors up above. Stairs ran along its circular walls, and the darkness was overwhelming save for the moonlight that barely passed through the arched windows. Vaati snapped his fingers, and a trail of blue-flamed torches lit up the walls, welcoming the old master. "We find the Dark Mirror," Vaati said, the doors closing behind them, "and then I'm going to make Dethl wish they'd never set foot on this world."

 _Din that's… that's not a plan at all?_ Sheik thought. _Impatient, rash, arrogant, and completely reckless. That's… Vaati all right. Why did I expect anything else?_

A sudden, unexpected gust snuffed out all of the torches, letting the darkness return once again. A brief feeling of panic rose in Sheik's chest as the darkness blinded him, and he immediately took a dagger in his hand, waiting for an attack. After a few seconds, it became clear that this darkness wasn't normal, for it wasn't the kind of darkness that settled peacefully like the natural night, but a darkness that swallowed light whole.

 _Dethl._

A flash of light, and a glowing white eye appeared in the center of the black void. In that brief flicker of light, Sheik saw an unsettling toothy grin on Vaati's face. Then, he noticed for the first time that Dethl wasn't quite like how they'd been when he'd last encountered them. They almost sounded hurried. Nervous? Was _Nightmare Incarnate_ , the unkillable and undefeatable nightmare, actually _nervous?_

" _You won't reach the Dark Mirror, Vaati."_ The eye vanished for a moment. Then, the entire chamber became covered in eyes eerily peering down at the group. Shadow backed away nervously, holding on to his other self's arm while Sheik stood in front of them protectively. Tendrils slithered along the floor, threatening to impale them in an instant.

Vaati, however, was unperturbed. He cackled, spreading his arms as he asked, "Oh what's this? Where's your monologue?" he quipped.

" _Even if you did get the Dark Mirror, what then? We cannot die. You cannot win. You know this."_

Sheik was sure now. He hadn't just imagined the barely audible, nervous tremor in Dethl's voice.

The sorcerer continued confidently. "Need to work on your final speeches, Dethl. Allow me to demonstrate, but first, Shadow, go find the mirror and bring it here." He waved a hand towards the two Shadow Links casually.

Shadow Link hesitated, and his notch-eared counterpart clung to him in fear. Shadow looked around at the dozens of Dethl's blank stares watching him. "But…" he started, and then trailed off. There was no way he could outrun Dethl, and the nightmare would undoubtedly come stop him. And besides, what could they even do once they'd retrieved the mirror? He didn't want to question Master Vaati, but this was impossible. "But Dethl," he tried again, panic settling on his features now.

At this, Vaati snapped his fingers, the sound cracking through the air. A soft red glow lit the surrounding darkness as dozens of sentries appeared. Their wings rustled as they fluttered about, and they gazed back at Dethl with an intense glare. Magic crackled around their lids, and Sheik remembered the surprisingly destructive fire and energy beam each one could summon. "Dethl won't be able to touch you as long as I am watching," the sorcerer chuckled quietly.

Sheik caught Shadow's eyes dart to him for a second, and then look towards Vaati. He almost looked like he was going to refuse, but then took a deep breath and then winked at the blond Sheikah bravely. Sheik understood the parallels to this situation to a conversation he'd had with Shadow before; as Sheik had once trusted Shadow because of his own trust for Fuu, Shadow too, trusted Vaati because he trusted Sheik. When the Sheikah nodded, Shadow Link made for the door behind him, moonlight pouring in for a brief moment before the door closed once again.

" _Wait!"_ Dethl screeched, and the darkness surrounding the walls rushed forward. As snakelike tendrils reached forward, a flash of red blazed across their path while Vaati snickered quietly to himself. There was a shriek as the tendrils burned with magic flame, and the sentries circled the area to torch anything that tried to make it past the sorcerer. As the nightmare cringed backwards and the darkness subsided, the wind mage dismissed the sentries to follow Shadow Link.

Sheik blinked, while Vaati took a step towards Dethl, causing the nightmare to back away to keep some distance between them. Fuu had been powerful, and Sheik had seen what Fuu could do at Death Mountain. However, Vaati had barely done anything yet and they could all feel that overwhelming force that Fuu hadn't had.

While Vaati and Fuu had both had the ability to make people believe what they said, Vaati believed in himself where Fuu hadn't. Vaati could make people believe that he could destroy them, and the difference Sheik was observing between Fuu and Vaati now was staggering.

"Now then, let me begin by saying that I am aware that I cannot kill you," Vaati said lazily, his head tilted slightly in mockery. "You are a Nightmare, and therefore cannot truly be killed. I do not intend to kill you, isn't that right, Sheik? Can you remind me what I said before, about what I was going to do?"

Sheik remembered Vaati's 'plan' that he'd been skeptical of earlier. Seeing Vaati now, however, made him wonder if his skepticism had been misplaced. Vaati was rash, but he wasn't stupid. An idiot, maybe, but not stupid. Perhaps he really did have a plan after all. "Make them wish they'd-"

"- never set foot in this world. Exactly," Vaati finished, interrupting him with an overenthusiastic wave of a finger. The wind mage shook his head in pity, then, at Dethl who had shrunk into a large blob in the corner of the chamber, watching them cautiously. "You made a mistake coming here, Dethl. I know that something so attuned to other people's fears must know something of fear themselves. You know fear, Dethl. You know it better than anyone, and that's why you will always kneel to me, you pathetic wretch."

" _You think that Nightmare Incarnate is afraid?"_ the nightmare rumbled. The chorus of their voices rose angrily, but it was a weak sort of anger, like someone fruitlessly trying to deny a lie they'd been caught with.

Vaati continued with a sneer, "I don't think it. I know it. And let me tell you something else, something that you might have discovered on your own while you were in this world: in this world, the fear stays with you. You forget nightmares in dreams, but nightmares in reality stay with you. In this world there will be some things you wish you could forget, but they will follow you and break you. I'm going to make you wish you could die, wish you could stay in the afterlife so you don't have to face me again. And again. And again." Vaati's palms crackled with energy, and a low roar could be heard from outside the building. The walls shook as the roar grew louder, and then there was an explosive crack as the building was destroyed by a powerful wind that screamed around them. The stone, large boulders of the building's broken structure, swirled in the air for a few seconds until the wind subsided and they all fell to the skies below. The vast sky now empty of clouds encouraged feelings of insignificance. "I'm going to destroy you, Dethl, but you're not going to die. I'm not going to let you die."

Dethl almost appeared small and exposed in the middle of the now empty platform where a building used to be. For the first time, Sheik saw emotion flicker behind those blank, black eyes; they narrowed just an inch, a brief hint of tension.

Vaati grinned, and then asked, "So? What do you think of that monologue?"

Sheik was stunned. _This plan might… actually work_ , he thought as he saw Dethl's tendrils coil back. It reminded him of the snake he'd seen at the Desert Temple when they'd tried to rescue the decoy Princess Zelda, coiled to strike because it was nervous. Perhaps even afraid.

A coiled snake will still strike.

In response to Vaati's question, Dethl suddenly attackedthe sorcerer with its black whip-like extensions. Like a Sheikah with his movements, the sorcerer effortlessly flipped out of the way, before he vanished into thin air. Within seconds he reappeared behind the Nightmare and with a swift, precise strike, landed a blow to the creature's eye with one of his daggers. Months ago, Vaati would have used something flashier to attack.

While the nightmare shrieked in agony, Vaati smiled at Sheik who was watching the fight, astonished. "I picked up a few things," he said as he casually turned some attacking tendrils to stone, "fighting isn't about being fancy, am I right?"

Dethl quickly recovered, moving in to attack again. This time, however, three more large eyes joined the first. Copies of Dethl.

Vaati dodged the attacks of the first two, warping away and reappearing above the various Dethl's once again. He turned two of them to stone, and then slammed one of the ones that had been turned into a boulder into the third, crushing them. The fourth screamed when one of the sorcerer's daggers flew into its eye for the second time.

At this rate, Sheik wasn't going to have to help Vaati at all. He remembered the sorcerer saying that Dethl was weak, but to be honest this was pathetically easy. _Was Dethl really that weak?_ Sheik thought in disbelief. _Or maybe this is what separates Masters from minions._

Dethl regrouped, circling the sorcerer and more of them appeared. Black shadows seeped across the platform and crawled along the stone so that they had completely surrounded the area. Their main eye twitched from time to time, still recovering from the repeated damage.

" _Y-you. You are still weaker now than you were before, Vaati,"_ Dethl hissed.

"Still not a good monologue," Vaati snorted, but his nose wrinkled just enough to indicate that Dethl had struck a nerve. "You know, Dethl, I'm rather disappointed. You were much more formidable in the nightmare realm when you could read people's thoughts."

" _You no longer have Wrath."_

An uneasy feeling came over Sheik, then. Dethl didn't reveal many emotions and they almost always had that wide, blank-eyed stare, but he had a feeling that the Nightmare was up to something. They still kept their distance from Vaati and they didn't appear to be readying another attack, but the Sheikah knew, _knew_ that they'd figured something out.

"I don't have wrath, hmm?" Vaati narrowed his eyes. "Are you certain about that?"

" _Yes."_

The wind was deathly still, stifling almost. The sorcerer cocked his head, and his red eyes gleamed with malice. And then, very slowly, the wind began to pick up again. It rustled across the ground, swirling around Vaati's ankles. The wind mage became surrounded by a black cloud, until he was no longer visible. The cloud solidified, and a large, red eye rimmed with gold appeared in its center. Enormous black claws extended from the winged eye hovering where Vaati had once been.

Sheik, who had been trying to figure out what Dethl was up to, noticed that a black shadow from one of the creatures had extended along the ground until it had pooled beneath Vaati's Wrath. The sorcerer hadn't noticed during his transformation. "Vaati look out!" Sheik shouted.

He was too late. Vaati was too slow in his Wrath form, and Dethl's coils shot up from the ground towards the sorcerer. Sheik threw some daggers, slicing away a few of them but there were too many. The remaining tendrils wrapped around Vaati's claws, and as soon as they did so, the great eye drooped as though fighting a fit of drowsiness. " _Sheik,_ " Vaati growled, a claw reaching towards the Sheikah.

Sheik whirled around with Vaati's warning, and saw several tendrils striking out towards him. He dodged two, but couldn't do anything about the third especially since he no longer had his daggers and there was not enough time to cast a defensive spell. Sheik gritted his teeth as it struck his left leg, piercing it, and then he felt it quickly wrap around his ankles. Almost instantly, his eyelids became heavy with fatigue and he struggled to stay awake.

 _I… I can't…_

The world distorted around them, and reality became uncertain. His body moved against his will, and before he knew what was going on there was suddenly a bow in his hand and an arrow between his fingers. They crackled with energy from holy magic. He looked down the arrow and aimed, and his heart stopped when he saw that he was pointing it directly at Vaati. The sorcerer was no longer in his wrath form, and was instead staring at him in uncharacteristic fear. He saw Vaati's lips move, but he couldn't hear a sound. "Why, Sheik?" the sorcerer had said.

 _No. No I can't do this!_

Sheik tried to stop himself, to drop the bow, to turn his aim away from Vaati but his own body wasn't responding. He tried to shout at the sorcerer to move, but Vaati, too, appeared trapped under Dethl's influence.

He'd seen this scene twice before, when he'd aimed an arrow at the sorcerer. The first was at Hyrule fields, right before Vaati had been defeated. The second, in a dream after Shadow had rescued him from the water temple. Both times the arrow had left his fingertips, and right now he could feel the arrow beginning to slip from his fingers. He was completely helpless as his eyes locked with Vaati's who had since stopped struggling. Like from the dream, he seemed to have placed his fate in Sheik's hands.

 _No, I can't…_

Without warning, Sheik felt the bow nudge slightly to the left off target. His breath caught, startled that his previously unresponsive body was able to move. And then he heard it; a familiar, melancholy ballad by an ocarina. As the song progressed, he recognized it as the one he'd heard before waking from Dethl's nightmare before.

His face contorted into a grimace of effort, and Sheik fought to point the arrow away from Vaati. He succeeded, and the air cracked into thin spider lines across broken glass. The bow vanished from his hands. The scene shattered, and he saw that he was lying on the ground, while Vaati lay unconscious in his Hylian form a few feet away from him.

The music, however, persisted. Sheik propped himself up on his elbows, and looked over his shoulder to see Shadow Link, the notched ear Shadow Link, standing behind him while determinedly playing the ocarina. He'd been timidly hiding in the shadows, and everyone had forgotten he was there until now.

As the notched ear Shadow continued to play the song from the dream, Sheik felt the tendrils gripping his ankles begin to loosen.

 _Of course! The music holds power!_

Sheik pushed himself up onto his feet, still dragging his left foot that was ensnared in Dethl's grip. With some swift hand motions, he summoned a golden harp, a magical instrument that had been passed down the royal bloodline through the ages. He joined Shadow Link in playing the song that they had both awoken to during their trials in Dethl's nightmare.

The song crescendoed from the melancholy verse to one of something daring and hopeful. With each chord, Dethl cringed backwards, the tendrils recoiling. " _No… you cannot know that song!"_ they cried, and they backed away to the edge of the platform, releasing Vaati from their grip. The sorcerer's eyes fluttered open, and he looked up in a daze at Sheik and Shadow Link playing the Song of Awakening. Realizing what had happened, snapped his head back to see Dethl writhing uncomfortably behind him.

Anger flashed across his face and his lips pulled back into a snarl. Cracking his knuckles, he strode over to the group of the nightmare creatures that were gathered at the edge of the platform. In an instant, he transformed back into his most powerful form of the enormous winged eye, and the ground shook as he slammed Dethl into the stone with his giant claws.

For the next fifteen minutes, Vaati gave Dethl almost the same amount of pain and horror that the creature had inflicted on Shadow Link over the course of a few days. The music from the harp and the ocarina was nearly drowned out by the horrific, inhuman shrieks and howls as Dethl was beaten, burned, melted, and ripped apart over and over again without being able to die. A few times, Dethl tried to attack Shadow or Sheik instead, but Vaati was vigilant. Dethl couldn't even get close to Shadow and Sheik.

There was a lull in the carnage when the first Shadow Link came back with the sentry eyes trailing after him. He stood, his mouth agape when he saw his old master destroying the Nightmare that had given him so much trauma in the past few days. Wordlessly, he tossed an obsidian stone by his feet, and the Dark Mirror appeared as soon as it hit the ground. Shadow stared at the black mass that was Dethl, come crawling over to him, weak and beaten.

An eye blinked open, looking up at Shadow Link with raw fear. The eye was rattled, and it had trouble focusing as it stared up at Shadow. The teen clenched his fist, then, and he began to chuckle. He leaned against the Dark Mirror, nodding casually to Dethl. "Hey, you remember what you said about fear in this world?" Shadow asked, twirling the tip of his hat around his finger. Then, he grinned, a dangerous glint in his eye. "It _persists_."

In that moment, Dethl seemed to snap. The creature literally began to fall to pieces as it slithered towards the mirror, leaving behind it a trail of eyes that vanished in purple smoke as they separated from the main body and rolled onto the ground. It crawled slowly at first, but then with a final push it rushed for the Dark Mirror. The reflective glass rattled as every instance of Dethl rushed to escape back to the Dark World.

And then, it was quiet. The howling wind subsided until there was nothing more than a calm breeze. The sky was clear after all of the clouds had been blown away by the wind, and the stars glittered against the night. The two Shadow Links, Sheik, and Vaati all exchanged glances with each other, each holding their breaths.

Finally, the Shadow Link who'd brought the mirror spoke hesitantly, afraid to be wrong but desperately hoping that he was right. "Is it," he asked, his voice hoarse, "is it over?"

At this, the demon eye's pupil swiveled towards Shadow, narrowing slightly. There was a brief, strong gust, and a pale teen in Sheikah clothing replaced the eye. Vaati took a deep breath, and then strode over to the Dark Mirror, pushing Shadow Link aside. "Not yet," he said quietly, "not until we break the mirror."

"Wait!"

Vaati stopped in his tracks when Shadow ran in front of the mirror, his arms spread to stop him. Sheik dragged himself over to them, his brows scrunched in concern.

Shadow Link looked between Sheik, Vaati, the notched ear Shadow, and then back to Sheik. Eventually, he hung his head, hating what he was going to say. "I…," he started, and then looked up briefly when the other Shadow walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He bit his lip, and then tried again, "We… We have to go back to the Dark World first."

"Why?" Sheik blurted out. "That doesn't make any sense, you belong here, Shadow. If you're saying this because you think you don't deserve-"

"No, that's not it," Shadow said sharply.

Sheik stood down, but his lips twitched behind the cloth that hid his face. He looked ready to argue, like he knew that Shadow could say nothing to convince him not to break the mirror immediately.

Shadow sighed heavily, and then he gave the blond a small, troubled smile. "Y-you see, the two of us," he pointed at himself and the other Shadow, "the two of us can exist in the Light World because the Dark Mirror allows it. Without the power of the mirror, this world can barely sustain just… one… of me." He fumbled his fingers when he saw Sheik's clenched fists loosen. "So you see, if we break the mirror now, then one of us will have to stop existing."

Deathly quiet. The fight that had been in Sheik suddenly left, and the Sheikah eventually lowered his gaze, unable to meet Shadow's. For a moment, Shadow looked at the Sheikah as though hoping, pleading that there was another answer to this problem. However, Sheik's expression told him all that he needed to know, and so he nodded to himself, convinced that he was doing the right thing. He tried to laugh to lighten the mood, but it came out weak and pathetic. "Other Shadow and I had a talk after you left the palace," he explained, "we knew this was going to happen if we somehow managed to beat Dethl. And," his voice wavered, but he pushed through, "and remember how you said that… every single one of us has a life worth living?"

Sheik nodded slowly, his hands loose against his sides. Helpless.

"Well, we believe you. You were right. And that's why the two of us have to go back to the world that will accept us both," Shadow said quietly. He stopped and looked at everyone else's morose expressions, and then laughed again. "H-hey! It's not all that bad, yeah? I mean, it's not like the Dark World is like some big empty void with nothing in it, ya know? Right Master Vaati? It's nothing like being trapped in the Four Sword!" he prodded Vaati to get a reaction, but the sorcerer, too, only stared thoughtfully at the ground in silence.

"There're people there, I just never spoke to them! There're great fields and lakes and forests there too, just like Hyrule! Everything's just a bit darker and… and…" Shadow lowered his hands. He lost his voice when he felt arms pull him into an embrace, along with his other self.

"Shadow," Sheik said softly, "You'll always be welcome here."

Both Shadow Links froze in stunned silence. Eventually, they clung to the Sheikah warrior's arms, holding back the crushing emotions.

"The Dark World needs a hero, too. We'll go back. We'll stop Dethl again," Shadow murmured into Sheik's shoulders. "I don't know if we can do it but…"

At this, Sheik pulled away, and placed a hand on the two's shoulders. He smiled, shaking his head. "You're already heroes."

"Heh. If I heard that a week ago I would have stabbed you," the doppelganger chuckled. He took another deep breath to will away his feelings, and swung his arms in false energy. "Guess we better get going, then, before Dethl decides they changed their minds! Should probably get on with saving those Dark World folk too, hmm? Make sure you smash that mirror to a thousand pieces after us!" Just as he was about to step through the Dark Mirror, Shadow turned towards Vaati who had yet to say a word all this time. His fake smile fell for a second before he bravely wore it again. "Master Vaati…" he began.

The Sorcerer of Winds looked up, his expression cold. "Shadow," he said sternly, and the two Shadow Links straightened up in attention. Then, he chuckled to himself, and the corner of his eyes softened and his lips curled into a small smile. "I'm not your master anymore, Shadow. You can stop calling me that."

All of the emotion that Shadow had been determined to keep bottled up in front of everyone spilled out until he became a sobbing, hiccupping mess. The two Shadow Links rushed forward, tackling Vaati and clinging to him tightly. Vaati protested, while Shadow blubbered between sobs that he would always refer to him as Master Vaati, and Sheik chuckled to himself as he watched from a few feet away.

And then, that was it. The two Shadow Links had waved one last, sniffled goodbye after Vaati had pried them off of himself. Then they stepped through the mirror, leaving Sheik and Vaati alone at the Palace of Winds. The remaining two smashed the mirror together.

The sound of shattering glass was a melancholic, bittersweet tinkle. The dark aura that Sheik had sensed from the magical mirror dispersed when it was destroyed, and all that was left was the gold frame and the hundreds of thousands of glittering shards that were scattered across the stone. They faintly reflected the stars in the sky.

Vaati walked over, kneeling beside the pieces of the broken mirror. He picked up one of the larger shards about the size of his palm. "Thank you," he whispered eventually, looking at his reflection in the mirror.

Sheik turned his head towards the sorcerer, indicating that he'd heard him, but remained silent.

"I'm glad…" he faltered, struggling with words, and then said again, "glad that you and Shadow Link were with me."

Sheik nodded. The moon was bright tonight.

"It's true that fear persists in this world. Those who create fear, often know it themselves," Vaati murmured, now talking mostly to himself now like he was reflecting on things of the past. "Anger can defeat it, but so can…" he trailed off, and he never completed his sentence. Instead, he turned the shard over in his hands thoughtfully. Finally, he stood up, slipping the shard into his pocket. "We're done here," he said, and began to walk towards the path that led towards the Palace of Winds' main structures.

Sheik nodded, silently looking out at the night sky that had settled over the palace in the sky. Now that Dethl was gone, the palace was no longer eerie, but rather quite beautiful.

It wasn't lost on the warrior that Vaati had been deliberate with his words. Both of them knew that, while they were done with the incident with the Dark Mirror, things were not truly 'over.' For people like them, things would never _be_ over.

For now, however, they could focus on returning home, and perhaps sleep soundly for the first night in a long time.

* * *

fleets: So many people thought I was going to kill some key characters in this chapter. I'm always tickled when readers guess incorrectly, because I want my stories to be unpredictable if possible :)  
Killing off one or more characters would have been too cliche, which was why I decided against it. There's also another reason for my decision, but you'll find out more... soonish. (plus, despite my history with past stories, I _do_ like somewhat happy stories haha)

hmmm, i'm kind of expecting some of you to be upset that the brot3/4 cannot be together. i'm... kind of nervous by people's reaction on that, actually? haha  
I really hope you like the final final final ending of this story, though. The next update WILL be the last time this story updates. Ever. Which also means this is the last chapter where I can respond to guest replies. It's been a wild ride, everyone, thank you so much. ;w;

 **SubZeroChimera:** Thank Din for allies, because his arrogance would have screwed him over. Again. xD

 **Kira Akuma:** Shadow has been through a LOT this story ;n; (crying). I can't say a lot, but we'll hear about him one last time before I bring this story to a close :O

 **fanakatsuki:** That's a perfect description of Dethl, actually. They don't have malice, really, they just enjoy seeing everyone terrified. ... which is a bad thing.

 **AquilaMage:** Overconfident Vaati was almost a bad thing haha (good thing he had friends around this time). Man... I still feel bad about all the crap I made Shadow go through.

 **Vesperupus:** a;lskdjalksdjf thank you so much! ;u;  
I'm so lucky to have a reader like you I can't express ahhhh  
And yes. YES join the OTP BROT3 all the ships!

 **Ai Star:** Half-Fuu Half-Vaati sums it up, yeah :) it's difficult to ignore a previous friendship, especially if the friend is trying their darnest to keep the friendship together :3

 **Serpent Tailed Angel:** :D GOT YA!

 **Lord Siravant:** I agree that Vaati does have things to be afraid of, but Dethl lost their near omnipotence when they decided to muck around in reality (versus dreamscape). This version of Dethl is also a little bit different than your characterization in that, they're not really after godhood and omnipotence - they're kind of like fascinated mad scientists who have zero sense of morality and do things because they're 'interesting.' Their interests unfortunately revolve making a living Nightmare. Fun times for everyone...

 **plum:**... anddd there's the vaati/shadow hug, just for you ;)  
i wasn't going to have them hug at first because vaati isn't really huggy, but then I saw your comment and I just had to throw that in there :)  
ja;sldkfja;djf ahhh thank you so much! Always a pleasure to see new readers, thank you so much for your message it really brightened my night ;u;


	25. The Last Training

fleets: So it turns out you guys didn't have to wait all that long after all, because I uh, wow I finished this ultra fast?  
Well. This is it. The last chapter. For those of you who are familiar with how I write, you'll know that I traditionally include an extra final chapter which includes a preview of my next project. This will be chapter 26, posted at the same time as this one.

I'm going to leave my gushy thank you's until then, but here is the last chapter. It's been an honor writing for you all, thank you so much.

* * *

 **Chapter 25: The Last Training**

"Long time no see, Master Vaati, how's it going over there?"

"Wait one, the sun's blinding my eyes."

Vaati walked around the castle yard, just by the training grounds where he'd come from after a quick contest with Impa. He pulled down the navy cowl over his eyes to block the bright sunlight, and readjusted the new bracers on his arms. The outfit was brand new, a gift of gratitude from Impa and perhaps an official welcome into the Sheikah royal guard, and he still needed to break it in. His new uniform was still in the same blue, red, and black colors of the Sheikah, but it was not without a bit of personal flair unlike the clothes he'd been borrowing from Sheik before. The hood was more welcome than the cloth wrap, and he'd requested a cape. Not a heavy one, like the one he'd had as a sorcerer since that would only get in the way, but a cape nonetheless. He was fond of the way it flapped in the wind.

The sorcerer walked towards the shade beneath one of the castle statues and sat down beside it, angling the mirror in his hand away from the sun. It was a small rectangular mirror framed in gold about the size of his hand. The mirror had a murky dark aura to it, like there was an entire world on the other side.

It was a piece of the Dark Mirror that Vaati had kept with him.

He took a deep breath, leaning his head against the statue and looking up at the sky. The cicadas buzzed in the summer sun, and the clouds moved lazily across the sky. "I think things are finally starting to settle down a bit," he said.

It had been incredibly busy for everyone this past month. Dethl had been defeated, but the damage done to the kingdom had been substantial, with little to no infrastructure left compared to the damage caused by the war that Vaati had waged.

Still, Vaati had learned that people were surprisingly resilient. The will to survive brought people from all walks of life together in a way nothing else could. From different social classes to race, everyone did what they could to piece their lives back together again. Thankfully, the remaining monsters had all crawled back to whatever dark corners of Hyrule they'd come from once there were no longer any powerful, unifying individuals; all that was left for Hyrule was to pick themselves up and start over. It had been a slow, long process, but Vaati had been able to see real progress in the month that had passed. People were beginning to smile again.

"Hello… Vaati."

Vaati turned around, and he saw the Princess of Hyrule approaching him. She was wearing a white summer dress with her hair tied up in a ponytail. Zelda glanced around at the guards patrolling nearby, still somewhat nervous about calling the sorcerer by his name out loud in public. Her nerves were more subdued than a few weeks ago, however, since she'd come to realize that most of the public didn't think twice about the new Sheikah who happened to have the same name as the infamous sorcerer. People tended to believe things they wanted to believe, and most people wanted to believe that Vaati was dead. The soldiers who'd been at the final battle had seen him die by the Princess's hand, they'd said.

"Hey, good timing," Vaati waved her over and held up the mirror in his hand. "There're some bumbling fools who want to talk to you."

Zelda leaned over Vaati's shoulder, looking at the mirror where she could hear some loud protests at Vaati's insult. Her face brightened and she grabbed the mirror from his hands. "Shadow Link and Shadow Link!" she cried, beaming, "You two are all right!"

"More than all right, actually," one of the Shadow Links rubbed his nose with a smile. He looked the same as she remembered with his curled black hat, his dark violet cowlick, and that little fanged grin. At the same time, there was something different about him, too. He had the look of someone who'd walked a long road full of adventures, both exciting and humbling. Shadow Link pointed his thumb to his other self who was standing next to him. "Oh and it's Shadow Link and Ravio, now. I'm Shadow. This guy is Ravio. Ravio wanted a different name for himself."

"Hiya!" Ravio waved. He was wearing a long purple robe and his face was mostly covered by a long blue striped scarf wrapped around his neck and an outrageous bunny hood, but Zelda recognized him as the notched ear Shadow from the Palace of Winds. His voice was still reserved and slightly timid, but he'd regained some of the confidence he'd lost after the trauma he'd suffered.

Zelda laughed, "Well you two have clearly been on some big adventures."

"Yeah you wouldn't believe it. Oh, and get this! Dethl is gone now, too!"

"Wow, that's amazing! See, I told you that you were already heroes," Zelda beamed. She nudged Vaati who looked up, startled, and then waved a hand lazily with a somewhat embarrassed murmur of "Good work."

Shadow Link and Ravio grinned proudly, but after a while, both of their grins fell and they exchanged uneasy glances with each other. Upon seeing this, Zelda's smile, too, faltered, and her brows knitted together in concern. Shadow Link sighed, and then scratched his head. "Um, to be honest," he grimaced, "we were on this quest to chase Dethl away from Lorule-"

"Lorule?" Vaati interrupted, joining in on the conversation.

"Yeah! It's a kingdom just like Hyrule. Ravio and I only found out about it a few weeks ago," Shadow nodded. "Anyway, so we were going to make sure Dethl didn't come back to bother Lorule, and we'd managed to find out where they were supposedly hiding. When we got there-"

"Someone had already defeated Dethl," Ravio chimed in.

"Now hold on a second," Vaati said, his voice rising a little now. "What do you mean, _defeated_ Dethl?" He snatched the mirror back from the princess and peered at the two teens who were biting lips uncertainly.

Shadow Link shrugged. "There was a guy there. Tall, kinda creepy looking. His face was covered by a cowl and…" he stopped. Then, he blinked, and he slowly pointed at Vaati when something occurred to him. "Actually he looked a lot like a Sheikah. Except, you know, with different colors. More blacks and purples than your whites and blues." He turned to Ravio for confirmation, and the other nodded emphatically in agreement. Shadow continued, "So yeah. We see this guy there and he just tells us that the Nightmare has been dealt with, and then disappears. That sounds pretty Sheikah, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, except Sheikah wouldn't show themselves like that. He sounds like a showoff," Vaati muttered, some competitive jealousy finding its way into his voice. He noticed Zelda looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "What?"

The princess smirked, shaking her head, before turning back to Shadow and Ravio again. "I'm glad you two are all right, but do be careful out there. It sounds like there are powerful individuals in the Dark World if they have the ability to truly defeat Dethl, and you'd best be wary about people with too much power." She didn't mention, however, that their description of the suspicious man gave her unease for another reason. She wasn't entirely sure, but she'd heard about a group of Sheikah defectors, many hundreds of years ago, who'd been banished to the Dark World. Could they still be out there? She hoped Shadow and Ravio wouldn't get themselves caught up with one of those, what did Impa call them, Interlopers?

"Please, we're experts at dealing with overly powerful individuals," Shadow dismissed, and flashed an irritated Vaati a knowing smile. Then, he laughed, "But yeah, both of us got all the credit for beating Dethl. We're bonafide heroes of Lorule now! Although, I do all the work while Ravio is a lazy moocher who stays home with his pet bird," Shadow rolled his eyes pretending to be annoyed, but his grin gave him away.

"I admit I'm a coward, but I'm no moocher! _Sheerow_ and I do very well at making profits for all of us and we'd be begging on the streets if it weren't for my business."

"Your bird keeps stealing _my_ rupees. And could you at least stop charging me for using some of your weapons? We came from the same mirror, yeah?"

"Only if you stop fainting in dungeons."

While Shadow and Ravio argued, Zelda turned to Vaati who was lounging against the statue, looking content with his gaze towards the sky. "You should have told me about the mirror," Zelda said, her hand on her hip.

Vaati shrugged. "I would have, if I didn't see on your schedule that you were booked with meetings for the entire day." He looked her up and down, a smile playing on his lips. "That said, aren't you supposed to be at the castle meeting some ambassadors, Princess?"

Zelda returned a very unprincesslike snort. "Sure," she huffed. Zelda glanced left and right, making sure there was no one else nearby, and then she gave him a sly wink. "At least the princess is."

"… Should I be escorting you back to the castle where you belong?"

At this, Zelda punched him lightly on the shoulder, and then transformed into a young male Sheikah warrior. "It's Sheik, keep up," Sheik crossed his arms over his chest.

Vaati chuckled. "Of course."

Sheik nudged Vaati with his foot, forcing the scowling sorcerer to move over, and then sat down next to him. Back in the Dark World, Shadow and Ravio had disappeared from view, but their voices could still be heard in the distance along with some loud bangs and thuds of objects falling and breaking. Sheik inhaled the fresh summer air, the wind carrying the smell of new grass. These perfect days were becoming more and more common recently, now that things were gradually becoming better again. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been able to relax like this. "I heard you were bothering Impa again this morning," he said as he closed his eyes, enjoying the breeze. Next to him he could practically hear Vaati's cheeky grin.

"I wanted her to time me. You know, the castle laps? I couldn't get over how that ended the last time."

Sheik opened one eye, tilting his head slightly in Vaati's direction. "Oh? You figure something out?"

Vaati nodded, and for a moment he looked more like a schoolboy who'd passed his exams than the dangerous sorcerer that he was. "Ever since you said you cheated on those laps, I had a suspicion that magic was involved. Sheikah are adept at magic, and this is especially true for you, who carry the blood of the royal family."

Sheik couldn't help but smile at Vaati's enthusiasm. The sorcerer waved his arms animatedly as he talked about the magic he'd figured out.

"I did a little searching in the Hyrule archives," Vaati explained. "There, I read something about the Pegasus Boots. They're enchanted boots that allow wearers to run like, well, the wind. I got the idea that you might have done something to temporarily enchant your feet to be able to run quickly for short bursts." Vaati leaned back against the stone, a self-satisfied smile on his face. "After that, it was easy, especially being the Sorcerer of _Winds_ and all. I crafted a new wind-based enchantment and now I can run those laps faster than you ever can."

"Congrats," Sheik acknowledged with a nod. Then, he added, "I guess that explains Impa's reports that said you were running into walls like a madman a few days ago."

"Wh-" Vaati shot up, no longer relaxing. His face reddened while Sheik's shoulders shook slightly from keeping in laughter. The sorcerer scowled, pulling his hood down further over his eyes. "Mastering any kind of spell takes practice," he growled defensively. He muttered under his breath about Impa being much too talkative.

Sheik snickered, pulling the cloth over his nose to hide his grin. Then, he brightened when he thought of something, and rummaged around in his bag.

Vaati watched him, his lips pulled down in a questioning frown, until he saw Sheik take out an apple. His frown suddenly flipped up into a competitive grin.

Sheik turned the apple over in his hands. He tossed it into the air a few times experimentally, and then cocked his head towards the sorcerer who was sitting up, eager. "Do you think you have what it takes to walk as a shadow warrior?" Sheik asked, a smirk playing on the corner of his mouth.

"I passed that test once I remembered all of my abilities," Vaati scoffed. "I _am_ the Sorcerer of Winds, you know."

"You think so?" Sheik challenged. With a swift movement, he got up onto his feet and gracefully jumped up onto the top of the statue they'd been sitting against. He held out the apple towards Vaati, who'd also stood up and was stretching his arms. "Try and cut this apple in my hand."

"Hey. Hey guys? What's going on?" Ravio's voice floated from the mirror that had been left on the grass. "I can't see Sheik anymore. Are y'all still there?"

"You two watch closely, I'm going to prove that I'm the better one right now," Vaati sneered, cracking his knuckles. He snapped his fingers, and the mirror floated up into the air to give Shadow and Ravio an overhead view of the fight so that they could see everything. "One minute?" Vaati asked.

"No." Sheik vanished from the statue, then, his afterimage fading away just as he reappeared behind Vaati. Sunlight flashed as it reflected off of the dagger that spun in Sheik's hand, and the Sheikah struck towards Vaati's head. Vaati, who'd caught the glint of the sun from behind him, whirled around and blocked the strike in time. To an onlooker, it would have looked as though Sheik had intended to kill Vaati, but Sheik knew that the sorcerer would stop the blow. This was but a simple greeting. "We go until you succeed, or I incapacitate you," Sheik said simply.

Vaati's grin widened, and he swung his dagger arm, causing Sheik to casually flip away and regain his stance. "Excellent."

Up above them, Shadow Link and Ravio were fighting for a better view from beyond the mirror. "Whoa, Master Vaati's fighting Sheik?" he asked in awe as he watched Vaati summon some wind blades to knock the apple out of the Sheikah's hand. Sheik easily jumped out of the way, reminiscent to their first contest a while ago.

"Pffft, Master Vaati is totally gonna win," Shadow scoffed, pushing Ravio away a hair.

"I was thinking Sheik is gonna win."

Just like last time, Sheik reappeared behind Vaati again, but instead of having his legs knocked out of him, the sorcerer teleported away while expertly throwing a dagger where the apple was. Sheik knocked the dagger away, and then gave a small smile as though to acknowledge the improvement. Then, his eyes became focused. He didn't need to take it easy this time.

" _Go Master Vaati!"_

" _You got this Sheik!"_

"What? You traitor!"

The clamor from Shadow and Ravio up above began to draw a small audience of passersby to watch. Sheik wasn't one to show off, but taking Vaati down a notch or two was something of an entertainment. He darted forward, tossing the apple high into the air so he could wield another dagger.

Vaati looked up, distracted by the apple for a moment before he saw Sheik closing the distance between them in a flash. He barely deflected Sheik's blows, and he found himself getting backed against the wall with the flurry of expert strikes. Vaati gnashed his teeth together in frustration that Sheik now had him dancing like a puppet master would a doll, forcing him to move the way the Sheikah wanted him to. It couldn't be helped, for Sheik had had a lifetime of Sheikah training while Vaati had a few weeks, spread out over the course of a month and a half. It didn't matter that he was the 'Sorcerer of Winds.' He didn't have time to cast a spell between Sheik's swift attacks.

Vaati scowled at the cheering that rose from the crowd that had gathered to watch the show. He wasn't about to lose again, and in front of a crowd no less.

 _I guess I could play a little… unfair_.

Suddenly, Vaati dropped both of his daggers, leaving him wide open for Sheik to strike. The other Sheikah's eyes widened in surprise, and for a split second he pulled back on the attack he'd meant to land, afraid that he was going to seriously hurt the sorcerer. Vaati took this moment to teleport away to the apple that had long since landed on the grass several feet away from them.

Just before Vaati could snatch the apple and claim the win, there was a shout, "Din's Fire!"

Immediately, fire erupted in a circle around the apple, surprising the sorcerer and causing him to momentarily back away. Sheik instantly appeared next to the apple, taking it back in his possession. When he looked around, however, Vaati was nowhere to be seen.

An awed exclamation from the crowd, and Sheik saw several people pointing towards the sky. He looked up just in time to dodge an energy blast that would have blown the apple to crispy bits. Sheik sighed when he saw the sorcerer hovering in the sky with a smug look on his face.

With a wave of his hand, the sorcerer created a gust that rushed across the ground, knocking over anyone it hit. The crowd shouted in alarm as they lost their balance, while Sheik teleported into the air to join Vaati. He waited for Vaati to cast another spell towards him.

As Sheik expected, the sorcerer appeared confident that he had superiority in the air and casually attacked with more wind blades. Sheik reflected them with a magical shield of his own.

Sheik knew he had to act fast. If it was a contest of sorcery, he would easily lose to Vaati. With one last teleport, he closed in on the sorcerer, pulling his fist back to ready a punch.

He was quick. Vaati's eyes widened as the fist approached his face. Sheik's attack just inches away from his nose, Vaati pointed a finger at Sheik and said frantically, "To Stone With You!"

The spell, while it stopped Sheik, did not stop his momentum and the blow connected to Vaati's jaw anyway. Both the sorcerer and the statue fell to the ground, and some of the people who'd come to watch screamed.

"Oww," Vaati muttered, rubbing his jaw as he got up in a daze. "Bastard," he griped as he released just the apple in Sheik's hand from the spell and irritably cut it in half with some magic. Once done, he released Sheik from the spell, and the blond tripped and fell to the ground, confused by what had just happened. Sheik looked around wildly at the people who were still screaming in alarm.

" _Silence!_ " Vaati shouted over the noise, and the people froze, startled. They quieted when they saw that the Sheikah warrior had returned to normal, and instead they scurried nervously back to where they'd been heading before they'd decided to watch the contest.

Sheik frowned when he saw the apple in Vaati's hand, cut cleanly in half. "That wasn't fair, you-" he began, and then he stopped himself when his words were strangely reminiscent. He looked up from where he was lying on the ground to the apple in Vaati's hand, and then to the growing bruise along Vaati's jaw. Then he saw the shit-eating grin on the sorcerer's face, and the two of them cracked up in laughter.

"Fighting isn't about being fair, I know," Sheik shushed the sorcerer by the time they were done laughing. "That was good. I actually had to try back there. Oh and, sorry about your face. I thought you could handle it." He sat up, brushing himself off of dirt.

"A punch like that isn't going to take me out," Vaati huffed. Then, he added, "though next time you could aim somewhere that _isn't_ my face."

"I was going by instinct at that point, and we're trained to kill."

"I take it you don't have very many… _returning_ sparring partners."

Sheik laughed. "I don't have many who push me like that, is all." Then, he added with a grin, "I guess you won't have to go to any trainings anymore."

It was then that Vaati noticed that someone was still screaming at them. He was about to go and shut them up, when he realized that the screaming was coming from the mirror he'd left floating in the sky. With a sigh, he summoned it back down into his palms to see Shadow and Ravio screaming in excited incoherence. He arched his brow, unamused, and then tapped the side of the mirror once which cut the connection between the Light World and the Dark. The silence was jarring once the screaming stopped.

Vaati tossed the other half of the apple to Sheik, while he bit his half. "I forgot how annoying multiple Shadow Links could be," he said as he munched on the apple. He waved his hand vaguely, "Until I remembered."

Sheik chuckled. "I think they're fun," he said. He looked up at the sorcerer who was still complaining about all of the Shadow Link shenanigans he'd had to deal with back when he was still his master, and the sorcerer gestured with the half-eaten apple in his hand. It was surprising, Sheik thought, how well Vaati had adjusted to having both the memories of his former, murderous self, and the one who'd become friends with him. Sheik had expected some clashing personalities which Vaati would have had to come to terms with, at least, but the sorcerer never indicated any trouble reconciling both Fuu and the Wind Mage.

"Vaati," Sheik said, interrupting the sorcerer mid-rant.

The sorcerer looked at him, and then his expression turned serious when he noticed Sheik seemingly out of words. There were few things that could trouble Sheik so much that he struggled with what to say.

After a deep breath, Sheik spoke quietly. "Vaati, why are you still here?" he asked.

Crows feet appeared on Vaati's forehead, and his red eyes narrowed somewhat, though he said nothing.

Sheik continued. "You didn't have to continue pretending to be a Sheikah. There's nothing stopping you to go and-"

Vaati's loud, obnoxious sigh cut him off mid-sentence. He glanced at the remains of the apple in his hand, and then tossed it over his shoulder. "I would love _nothing more_ than to go and conquer Hyrule once and for all," he rolled his eyes with a half-hearted scowl, "especially considering how easy it would be right now to do that. But you've been keeping me quite busy and I've been having trouble finding the time."

"… Me?" Sheik asked, puzzled. He recalled giving the sorcerer no additional tasks that he was aware of, and on the rare occasions that he did, he always made sure to ask Vaati if he was okay with helping.

Just then, he saw Vaati's shoulders tense, and the sorcerer became fixated on someone who was making their way to the castle. The person was a well-dressed man, a noble from the looks of his attire, and he was accompanied by two guards not of Hyrule. His mustache bobbled as he strutted down the path, a simple yet beautiful bouquet of flowers in one hand.

Sheik grimaced. This looked like the ambassador that he'd, er, _Zelda_ , had been supposed to meet today. His grimace turned into alarm when Vaati excused himself and strode towards the small procession.

"Hey!" Vaati shouted, stopping the noble. "What business do you have here?"

The man appeared startled by the Sheikah's brash demeanor before he regained his official posture and looked down his nose at Vaati. "I have an appointment with the princess," he said, exuding entitlement, "She's expecting me."

"No, she's not expecting anyone," Vaati snapped. "Whatever you wanted to tell her, you can tell me. I'm her personal guard."

Sheik walked over to join them, and he raised an eyebrow at 'personal guard.' He gave a small shake of his head, but let it slide.

The noble's nubby nose wiggled as he struggled about whether or not he could ignore the rude Sheikah and make his way over to the castle anyway. With a heavy, defeated sigh, he complied. After all, everyone knew the rumors about the Sheikah, and how they weren't to be trifled with. "I wanted to speak with her regarding a proposal."

"What kind of proposal?" Vaati narrowed his eyes, being much more antagonistic than usual to someone he'd never met until now. His gaze fell on the flowers, and his mouth twitched in annoyance.

The noble, feeling unfairly attacked, frowned. He spoke civilly, but with a bit of a strain. "I was just about to explain that," he huffed, and Sheik wondered if he was going to have to step in and stop a pummeling between the two. "I am of the Loftus family, and some of our estate is located in Holodrum, which was not as badly affected by the attacks like in Hyrule. We also boast a substantial treasury that I am sure would help aid the relief efforts here."

Vaati's lips twitched again, and then he suddenly brightened with a beaming smile that was much too friendly to be considered sincere. His lips were smiling, but his eyes weren't. "Fantastic, we appreciate your assistance. I am sure the princess will be delighted with the news."

"Er, _yes_ , it's just that-"

Without warning, the sorcerer grabbed the noble roughly by his collar, dragging him towards his still beaming face. The smile was terrifying. "You weren't going to force the princess for her _time_ , for her," another twitch, " _hand_ , were you, asshole?"

"Just who do you think you a-"

"S-Stop!" The noble barked, stopping his two guards from attacking Vaati. "This man is a Sheikah," he explained when the guards continued to point their swords at the sorcerer. The noble knew that no one, _no one_ messed with the Sheikah, but some people from distant kingdoms like Holodrum sometimes didn't know that.

Meanwhile, Sheik was appalled that the Sheikah status was being abused in this way, but he held in his sigh. He'll have plenty of opportunities to sigh later.

"You'll help Hyrule because people need help, are we clear?" Vaati hissed. When the noble nodded earnestly, the sorcerer let go of his grip. He pulled a white rose from the bouquet and twirled it between his fingers with a smile. "Wonderful. Loftus was it?"

The man nodded again, nervously. He readjusted his collar with shaky fingers.

"I'll be paying a visit to your estate in a few days. If your family impresses me, I will allow you to serve under me. This of course comes with all of the benefits of having a Sheikah warden."

The man bowed apologetically. "Y-yes of course. Thank you sir."

Vaati tossed the rose at his feet. " _Impress me first,_ " he snarled.

When the noble and his guards had scurried away, alarmed by the conversation, Vaati chuckled to himself and turned to Sheik proudly. "You see? You've been keeping me busy."

Now that the noble was gone, Sheik was finally able to sigh. He rested his cheek against his hand tiredly, but there was a small smile tugging at his lips. "I cannot believe you," he finally managed, shaking his head. "So how many nobles are serving you now?"

"Not enough."

Sheik shook his head again, chuckling now. He shouldn't have expected anything less from Vaati. He was a little exasperated about Vaati's rather brash methods, but he was grateful for what he was doing. His earlier thought about how well Vaati had adjusted to his memories surfaced again. Perhaps the transition hadn't been difficult because Fuu and Vaati hadn't been so different after all. Sheik, too, had already noticed that this 'new' Vaati was only subtly different from Fuu.

But if the two weren't that different, then what had caused Vaati to want to conquer and destroy Hyrule in the first place?

"Hm? Is something wrong, Sheik?" Vaati asked, and Sheik realized that he'd accidentally been staring at the sorcerer.

Sheik hesitated. Vaati had always been much too perceptive for his own good. "It's just… even after everything that's happened, I still don't really know you."

The passing clouds overhead created brief moments of shadow and sun while the time passed. The sorcerer considered Sheik's words thoughtfully as the breeze tugged at his cape, and his gaze lowered, his cowl hiding his eyes. For a moment, it almost looked as though he, too, had asked himself the same question from the way he tilted his head just a little, confused. Eventually, Vaati met Sheik's gaze. "Perhaps in due time," he said softly. Then, his cheeky grin returned. "What, are you afraid you'll wake up one day to find that I've taken not only your nobles, but also your crown?"

Sheik laughed. "Not at all. I trust you."

The two of them started walking towards the castle gates in the direction of castle town. Impa was probably going to catch them again for sure, especially since they'd caused quite a commotion in the last half hour. Still, they probably had a bit of time to enjoy the town while the weather was beautiful. Despite all of the tragedy that had occurred, the two Sheikah looked content for the first time in a while, with their features relaxed and the glimpse of a smile on their faces.

As they passed the gates, the sorcerer wordlessly held out fist to Sheik who was walking next to him. They casually bumped on it, but it was a powerful understanding between them: that while bridges may burn, forgiveness could forge anew over betrayals past.

And all it took was a bit of honesty.

 _Fin_

* * *

fleets: (is nervous) UMM I hope that was... okay. I kind of um, had trouble ending this. Near the end. Yeah. English.  
Endings always make me nervous because I could ruin a good thing in a few sentences D:  
Wow. It feels really, really good to be able to finally put the "complete" stamp on this story, though. Before this story, I'd been convinced that I would never return to fanfiction again, and I'm _so_ glad I was wrong, because this story has been an amazing experience. I haven't had this much fun writing a story in a long time, and I learned new things about myself through the characters I was writing. I also reconnected with old friends and made new ones along the way. Everyone's enthusiasm and support was so incredible.

Seriously. Thank you. You guys are amazing and I don't have enough words to express how thankful I am.

Demonbound may have ended, but I don't intend to leave the fanfic world just yet. You probably picked up from the way this chapter was written that it was essentially a setup for a sequel. I'll explain more in "Chapter" 26, but I'm really excited to start this story and I hope to see some of you (maybe all of you...?) there :)  
This story ended up being 'ship-free' because of the planned sequel. I was already halfway through this one when the ship occurred to me, and I didn't feel comfortable making it official in this story because the characters weren't quite there yet. You'll see it in the next one. :)

Again, thank you so much, and especially to the 'inner circle' who've stuck around not just this story, but my other ones as well, and have been a huge pillar of support for me over the years. I think you guys already know who you are :)

Well, here goes the last review responses I'm going to do for this chapter (I can PM review replies if you're a signed reviewer from here on out :) but unfortunately I won't be able to contact you here if you're an anon guest). Be sure to check out the next page after this for the preview!

 **Lord Siravant:** I think your Dethl will kick this Dethl's arse :P  
Friendship shouldn't be underestimated :3

 **plum:** Ahhh thank you! I hope this ending was satisfactory ;w;  
No more pain from demonbound! I have a whole lot of pain in store for soulbound though dun you worry xD

 **Serpent Tailed Angel:** Ummmm (nervous sweating) both of the Shadow Links actually went back sooo (I wonder if maybe I didn't make that clear enough and should go back and change something...?)

 **Arridu:** Thank you! :D I was thinking about phobias, and how crippling they can be while trying to come up with Dethl's 'powers.'

 **icfehr:** Thank you so much, I hope this ending wasn't disappointing!

 **Ai Star:** Dethl kind of deserved it, and Vaati was pretty angry whoops  
Don't be sad! They get a happy ending now :)

 **fanakatsuki:** They kind of had a talk. Involving knives. And some sparring :P  
There'll be a bit more talking, but maybe in the next story :)

 **AquilaMage:** They have a purpose, and they'll play a part in the sequel! :D More Shadow/Ravio incoming :)  
The ending of that sentence will forever be a secret, though we may speculate ;)  
There's always hope, and with those two, there's nothing they won't be able to overcome. Well... maybe...

 **Cattycheeno:** Thank you! I'm glad you liked it :D I hope this ending was to your liking, and thank you so much for your support ;w;


	26. Preview: Soulbound

THIS WAS A DOUBLE UPDATE DAY. PLEASE GO BACK AND READ CHAPTER 25 IF YOU ACCIDENTALLY CAME HERE BEFORE READING THAT ONE. this has been a PSA.

fleets: Hello brave souls. Here I am going to discuss and show a preview of Demonbound Sheikah's sequel, Soulbound Princess. I've traditionally posted teaser previews after I finish stories so you guys know that I'll be showing up again sometime soon! The preview I am going to show this time will _not_ be posted in the final version of  Soulbound, so it'll be a bit of a treat in that only people who've bothered to read this extra chapter will ever get the perspective of the character I will be writing (first person POV whoo)

The story takes place a few months after the events of Demonbound. While Demonbound never had a pairing tag, this one _will_ , and it will be [VaatixSheik]. Notice how I did not say VaaZel, though there will be some of that, too. Yes, Sheik and Zelda are the same person, but I do write them slightly, _slightly_ differently and, well, this will make more sense once I write the dynamics in Soulbound.  
ANYWAYS, if you don't like that pairing, I would not recommend the sequel because I'm planning on including it.

This story won't be following any sort of timeline (it's an AU) and I'll be throwing in characters/concepts that vaguely work for the intended plot (e.g. I'm pretending that the Dark World is just another name for Lorule, regardless of what it actually is in canon. Similarly, the Dark Interlopers from Twilight Princess that were banished to the Dark World are Sheikah defectors - there's some kind of fan theory out there on that, which I liked and decided to use). Oh I also talk about a bunch of random ideas with the Triforce and the Lightforce etc. etc. that I kind of just BS and roll with it. Warning you now.

(pffft this preview ended up way shorter than I thought. I can't say anymore without going into major spoilers though whoops)

Now that that's out of the way, here's the preview of my next project, Soulbound Princess :)

* * *

 **Soulbound Princess**

Few things surprise me, and yet I find myself to be completely at a loss of words. Fewer things yet frighten me, and yet the quill shakes as I write.

Within the last hour, I have lost everything. Everything that had been granted to me by the Wishing Cap, gone, in an instant.

Yes, you are currently reading the tiny scratches of a creature no taller than the size of your thumb. I, Vaati, the Sorcerer of Winds, am the Sorcerer of Winds no longer. I am a Minish.

If I had known that the assassin would have such power, I would have been more careful with my dealings with them. I saw them stalking the princess's rooms, no doubt to lay a trap while the princess was away, and so I'd gone to confront them. When I approached the assassin, I was surprised to find that their clothes vaguely reminded me of the Sheikah, and this connection was further strengthened when I fought them.

Their movements… they were learned in the Sheikah arts.

I'd cornered the assassin and was ready to incapacitate them, but then they'd pulled out some kind of mask, ancient in design. It appeared to be made of stone with two tall horns, and a carved eye hid half of the wearer's face. As soon as the assassin wore the mask, it somehow… sucked out all of my power, almost like it was draining the very life out of me.

Truthfully, it actually _did_ drain the very life out of me.

I… ugh I hate to admit it, but I would have died. The mask had absorbed all of the power, turning me back into a Minish, and then went further by absorbing Force. Every living thing has a bit of Force, an energy that allows living things to, well, live. Without it, I began to die.

I'm still alive, as I'm sure you've gathered. However, it came at a great cost. When Sheik found me, he split his Triforce and shared it with me so that I could remain alive. Now we share flickers of each other's thoughts and emotions, which is a nuisance, but is nothing compared to the other consequence of this action.

The Triforce was never meant to be shared between two people.

… You understand what that means, don't you? It means that now, the two of us are living on borrowed time. One day, perhaps in a few years or maybe even tomorrow, the Triforce is going to pull back to one of us so that it becomes whole again. In one person.

And when that happens, one of us is going to die.

You cannot cheat death. One of us was supposed to die today. _I_ was supposed to die today.

Sheik is too self-sacrificing for his own good. I may not be able to do much now that I am a 3-inch-tall mousey little thing, but I'm going to do everything I can to figure out a way to fix this.

Because goddesses be damned if I allow Sheik to die.


End file.
